Edible Xmas gifts that can be made well in advance.....

Anglea

I don't have any shops like that where I live, that's a shame. What is B and M?

mum2one

Anglea wrote: »

I don't have any shops like that where I live, that's a shame. What is B and M?

Its a bit like home bargains - sells literally everything at great prices. I'm lethal in any of those shops. x

mum2one

Not really xmas gifts as such - but brilliant bargains......

All from Lidli (excuse spelling)

Pastry Mix - Jane Asher - 49p bag - apr 225g
Mincemeat - large jar own brand - 99p

Own brand coffee whitener (great for flavoured coffee) 400g jar 99p

Red Mountain coffee - 100g jar - on special offer £1.00

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I brought 8 packs pastry, 3 jars mincemeat, (£7.00) did bulk mince pir afternoon, lost count after 150 pies....... but had to test - the pastry was melt in mouth and mincemeat lovely (had that last yr - added brandy and sherry added kick).
xx

fly_dragon_fly

do mince pies keep then? x

tartantotty

cornishorchid wrote: »

Hello, Just been reading through this thread and there are some great ideas.
I have decided this year to also make hampers full of homemade preserves and goodies.
I would like to recommend the river cottage preserves book, its fantastic, the lady who writes it is fatastic, she covers everything from sterelising jars to how much each recepie makes to how long it lasts for.
As so many people posted wanted recipes for flavoured vodka, I thought i would share a little secret! I have heard, although not tried it, that you can place a sweet or 2 in a jar of vodka, worthers, skittles jelly bellys might work well too, and place it in the dishwasher on a hot cycle and hey presto flavoured vodka!
If any one has tried it please could they let me know if this does work and is not a urban legend!

I have made dishwasher vodka and can vouch that it worked for me! I didnt put it in with the washing, but with some empty jars that I wanted to give a goood rinse that were clean but had been box in the cupboard for a while - so I didnt need to add detergent!
the heat from the water melts the sweets without affecting the alcohol, and you just give it a good shake when the cycle is finished! Quicker than waiting a week for it to dissolve!!! A wee tip, really crush up the sweets into wee bits to ensure success!:T:j

mum2one

fly_dragon_fly wrote: »

do mince pies keep then? x

Once cooked, I've put mine in the freezer, can either defrost at room temp, or chuck in microwave and serve them warm. x

tinksy

quick heads up but pears and cooking apples are 80p a bag in tesco and lidls have plums for 50p for a 200g punnet. Currently making pear and pineapple jam, to be followed by apple, pear and ginger and then hot and spicy plum sauce on thursday!

butler_helen

Thank you thank you thank you! I've been a long time lurker on this thread and today I finished my first bottle of toffee vodka. I used Tesco cheapy vodka, because I could easily stick a sticker over the lable and a bag of 62p dairy toffees. I put the entire bag of toffees in with the vodka in a larger bottle (vacuum flask) and waited 7-10 days and voila... a gorgeous drink with three shots 'spare' for me and OH today! so yummy

thank you! :money::j

mum2one

butler_helen wrote: »

Thank you thank you thank you! I've been a long time lurker on this thread and today I finished my first bottle of toffee vodka. I used Tesco cheapy vodka, because I could easily stick a sticker over the lable and a bag of 62p dairy toffees. I put the entire bag of toffees in with the vodka in a larger bottle (vacuum flask) and waited 7-10 days and voila... a gorgeous drink with three shots 'spare' for me and OH today! so yummy

thank you! :money::j

I love toffee vodka, thats on my to-do list xx

SmlSave

Ohhh toffee vodka! How have I not tried making this! Will do this weekend

I've got quince rum on the go and quince wine is to be made this week.

We were lucky to get loads of grapes from the in-law's vine and spent the weekend crushing them to death - managed to splatter the kitchen walls and ceiling So that 7ltrs of grape wine to be made and I'm going to have a go at grape jelly.