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

nic2075

cuddles123 wrote: »

Thank you.

Any idea how long it keeps and the best way to store it please?

Ive got it in a cake tin in the fridge. Id imagine it will last a week (well it wont cos ill have eaten it all lol).

Tablet can start to go crystally and sugary after a few days. 1 plan to pop mine in jars for my wee neighbours.
I reckon it will freeze but I havent tried it. I froze chocolate fudge last year and it was yummy straight from the freezer.

Ill freeze some just now and take it out tomorrow and see how it turns out, will let you know.

alfieroux

Just a quick question really - I made Raspberry Vodka and Blackberry Gin and bottled them up for presents today. I now have two tubs - one of Raspberries, one of Blackberries that I sieved out. They are steeped in the booze and I thought that they would make a nice pudding with whipped cream and meringue (Boozy Eaton Mess type).

Bearing in mind that they have been soaked in alcohol since August - how long do you think they will keep in the fridge for? I would like to use them when we have friends over but what with the weather this is unlikely to be until at least late into next week! (My freezer is groaning so that is not really an option)

Thanks in advance
Alfie

Anglea

Hi all

Were all your gifts well received at Christmas?

Anyone thinking ahead for this year?

wammy77

Anglea wrote: »

Hi all

Were all your gifts well received at Christmas?

Anyone thinking ahead for this year?

Everyone loved the foodie gifts - which suprised me actually, I had thought that maybe 1 or 2 people may think I'd 'coped' out of buying a 'real' gift

Already have a long list of things I'll be making for this Xmas.... have started my rumtopf already!!!!

Next week I'm hoping to start some Limoncello

chelleway78

I made the after dinner mints with crushed up extra strong mints for several people as "extra" gifts, or for people who buy for the kids & don't expect presents in return. They all loved them & I've had to tell so many people how to make them cos they want more. I even made some today for lunch guests who had raved about them. I also made Boxing Day chutney as per last years Kirsty Allsopp's homemade christmas programme and then went down really well as well. Its got me hooked on making jam now, have just had to make a jam pan. I'm amazed at how much people liked the stuff and must get organised with some longer term stuff & look back over this post. Thanks everyone for the ideas!

mum2one

wammy77 wrote: »

Everyone loved the foodie gifts - which suprised me actually, I had thought that maybe 1 or 2 people may think I'd 'coped' out of buying a 'real' gift

Already have a long list of things I'll be making for this Xmas.... have started my rumtopf already!!!!

Next week I'm hoping to start some Limoncello

Sorry to be nosey, how do you make Limoncello? xx

mum2one

Touch wood the food gifts went down my 2 eldery neighbours had the small mix and match packages - they loved them.

My dentist thought it was funny, as I'd done him a mini whisky, mini glass, with a tag, "Open in case of emergency".

The coffee mixes went down well, so there a def for next yr xx

little_miss_moneysaver_3

Hello everyone,

I'm a bit of a lurker on the thread. I saw a couple of weeks ago a baking programme on Saturday after Saturday Kitchen. It's with an ex-model who's now a chef who shows you ways to make things quickly. She had oreo brownies on there last week and this Saturday she had Focaccia which looked yummy! I will be watching it as I think there may be other bits I can make nearer Christmas....I think OH would be salivating if he'd have seen those brownies

wammy77

chelleway78 wrote: »

I made the after dinner mints with crushed up extra strong mints for several people as "extra" gifts, or for people who buy for the kids & don't expect presents in return. They all loved them & I've had to tell so many people how to make them cos they want more. I even made some today for lunch guests who had raved about them.QUOTE]

Can I ask how you make the mints???

mum2one wrote: »

Sorry to be nosey, how do you make Limoncello? xx

I found the recipie online a little while ago, it's really easy to do:

LIMONCELLO RECIPE

1. 1/2 bottle (35cl) of Vodka
2. 7 lemons, washed (warm water and scrub if they're waxed)
3. 2 cups (400g) sugar
4. 2 cups (400ml) water

Remove the peel from the lemons with a peeler/knife, avoiding the white pith. If ANY white pith remains on the back of a strip of peel, scrape it off (if any of the white part goes in the mixture it will be bitter and spoilt). Put the lemon peel in a glass jar and add the vodka. Seal tightly. Leave the mixture in the jar in a cool dark place for 2-3 months.

After the 2-3 months - Put the water and sugar in a saucepan, stir and slowly heat until it turns clear and all the sugar is dissolved. Let the syrup cool. Put the cooled syrup in the jar with the lemons. Put the jar back in the cool, dark place for at least two weeks. When you're ready to bottle it pour the mixture through a muslin/cheesecloth/coffee filter to strain out the peels. Bottle and seal tightly and leave for at least 1 week before using.

little_miss_moneysaver wrote: »

Hello everyone,

I'm a bit of a lurker on the thread. I saw a couple of weeks ago a baking programme on Saturday after Saturday Kitchen. It's with an ex-model who's now a chef who shows you ways to make things quickly. She had oreo brownies on there last week and this Saturday she had Focaccia which looked yummy! I will be watching it as I think there may be other bits I can make nearer Christmas....I think OH would be salivating if he'd have seen those brownies

I'm salivating thinking about those brownies!!!!!!!!! I'll have to try and catch the programme this week

chelleway78

The mints were made by crushing a packet of extra strong mints (I used food processor, but good to leave them a little lumpy rather than a fine powder). Melt a bar (about 200g depending on taste) dark chocolate & stir in the crushed mints. Can be poured into a tray to set then broken into pieces or as I was giving them as gifts I set them in ice cube trays or trays from inside an advent calendar. I was amazed how much people liked them!