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

BloomingTasty

Aaarrrgghhh!!!

Spent age yesterday making a lovely Christmas chutney, which I made last year, Only for the whole lot to burn at the bottom of the pan, making my house stick of vinegar and ruin whole batch.

My tip for today, don't make too much at once. I'd doubled up the quantities and I'm sure it took too long to cook.

Hi ho of to the shops I go for more supplies. Whats really annoying is ,most of the fruit was free from friends trees etc!

Giggles_Fairy

hey everyone . Hope you dont mind me jumping in. I have decided to make jams, chutneys etc for christmas gifts this year.

So far I have a chilli and apple jam recipe bookmarked that i want to try.

Eljaycock... is there a recipe online for this Christmas Chutney you mention? Looking for some ideas

I have been money making on the thrifty thread this year to buy the items to do this so going to head off and buy some jars, labels, pan etc now!

BloomingTasty

Giggles-fairy
Don't know if its online, I got it out of a library book. But here's the recipe.

Christmas Chutney
450g Plums stoned
450g pears peeled and cored
225g cooking apples peeled and cored
225g celery
450g onions sliced
450g tomatoes skinned
115g raisins
15g (1tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp pickling spice
850ml cider vinegar
450g granulated sugar

1. Chop the plums, pears, apples, celery and onions. Chop the tomatos into quarters.
2. Put all of the above in a large pan along with the rasiins and the ginger.
3. Place pickling spice in a muslin and tie with string to secure. (Just as an note I bought muslins used for babies and cut a piece off!)
Add to the mix with 1/2 of the vinegar and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 2hrs.
3. When ingredients are tender, stir in the remaining vinegar and the sugar. Boil till thick. Remove sprice bag and add to sterilised jars. Cover with wax paper disc and lable.
4. Enjoy.

I made second batch today, all good. Tastes good now, will be even better come Christmas!:)

jakes-mum

Hello, im a lurker on here normally as I like to[STRIKE] steal [/STRIKE]. . . um borrow your ideas

well I had this great idea that id make some chutneys and jams, my poor old mum pushed me in my wheelchair through the back of beyond on a not very nice day just so I could pick blackberries all ready to go, and . . . . my [STRIKE]stupid[/STRIKE] ever so helpful husband has thrown all my old jam jars away :eek:

I'd been saving them for most of the year and he threw them cos i didnt seem to be using them :rotfl:

So anyone got any idea where I can buy some from? I dont have a home bargains near me, and the warehouse clearance that I was thinking might be my salvation has shut down!! :eek:

diddly74

jakes-mum wrote: »

Hello, im a lurker on here normally as I like to[STRIKE] steal [/STRIKE]. . . um borrow your ideas

well I had this great idea that id make some chutneys and jams, my poor old mum pushed me in my wheelchair through the back of beyond on a not very nice day just so I could pick blackberries all ready to go, and . . . . my [STRIKE]stupid[/STRIKE] ever so helpful husband has thrown all my old jam jars away :eek:

I'd been saving them for most of the year and he threw them cos i didnt seem to be using them :rotfl:

So anyone got any idea where I can buy some from? I dont have a home bargains near me, and the warehouse clearance that I was thinking might be my salvation has shut down!! :eek:

Jakes Mum, you can buy jars online at Lakeland, but why don't you put a Wanted add on Freecycle! There are bound to be people out there who want to get rid of jam jars! Its what I am gonna do - I have ran out after we (MIL & I) have made 60 jars of damson jam, 10 jars of pickle onions, 15 jars of apple and tomato chutney and we still have stuff to make!!!!

Anglea

http://www.mookychick.co.uk/how-to/how-to-guides/how-to-make-jam.php

Lou05

ELJAYCOCK wrote: »

Hi to all have been lurking for a while but am now going to join in! So many fab ideas.

Lou05 - could you give me the recipe for the apple and cranberry chutney. I've loads of apples but a bit stuck with what to do with them! Only so many pies I can eat.

Sorry for the delay in the reply - here's a link to the recipe (I hope!). I used soaked dried cranberries
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8028/apple-and-cranberry-chutney?pager.offset=20
X

elysia2003

Anglea - that looks a lovely idea.

I'm making marmalade today, and I have some gold edible glitter in the house. I'm hoping it will look lovely being all glittery.

mum2one

Lou05 wrote: »

Sorry for the delay in the reply - here's a link to the recipe (I hope!). I used soaked dried cranberries
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8028/apple-and-cranberry-chutney?pager.offset=20
X

Theres some brilliant recipies, fancy making the pear and cranberry chutney xx

MrsTinks

I have just got a large bag of red onions ready to make red onion marmelade - we love it! And I figure the neighbours won't mind it again this year as they went through large jars of it before New Year last year

That and some "braendte mandler" - a danish tradition (Caramelised almonds basically - they are scrummy!) - some honeycomb and if I have time... and can find something to replace the green tomatos I need I'll make some chutney - I make mine a christmas one by adding a good quality mulled wine bag - the ones where you can SEE the spices and they aren't ground to dust... our works receptionists husband was begging me this for more last year (literately!!!)

Will see if I get time to start the red onion marmelade tomorrow...