HM Sweets for Xmas Presents - cheap recipes?

~*Plushroom*~

Triggles wrote: »

Plushroom - as I used to live in the states, I can attest to the fact that the chocolate here is infinitely better!!! i think that is a stellar idea of making sweets for them - they'll love it.

If you're looking at putting it into a basket type gift - check the Special Occasions and Celebrations section of the forum - they have a number of threads about gift baskets that are really helpful and may also have some good recipes for you!

Well since getting together with my other half I've been practically force fed anything american by all of them (So I whole-heartedly agree on the chocolate thing!), so I thought it was time for a change! Plus what could be better than the whole house smelling like a confectionary store!

I've been looking on the special occasions thread and the hampers/baskets they're doing look absolutely fantastic Just got to find some boxes/baskets...should be interesting in a town that consists of about 7 shops :rotfl:

Triggles

Plushroom - there are some nice American goodies - as my DH can attest to - such as pumpkin pie, cornbread, and sloppy joes to name a few. :rotfl: But personally, I far more enjoyed learning about and trying all the lovely new British food when I moved here years ago. Yummmm. So that's why I think they'll really appreciate it.

~*Plushroom*~

Triggles wrote: »

Plushroom - there are some nice American goodies - as my DH can attest to - such as pumpkin pie, cornbread, and sloppy joes to name a few. :rotfl: But personally, I far more enjoyed learning about and trying all the lovely new British food when I moved here years ago. Yummmm. So that's why I think they'll really appreciate it.

I think those are about the only things I haven't tried yet! Cornbread sounds good, better than the biscuits I've tried, they were really salty. Was not impressed by the peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches though, that was terrible, ended up throwing up from them

I'm learning on the american stuff though! Ended up with a terrible addiction to reeces pieces and oreo's and mountain dew. So much caffeine in so little liquid!

So far I've gotten some good simple recipes for co!!!! ice, sugar mice and butterscotch. May also make some shortbread too and find some of those mini boxes of english teabags you can get. They've all been here a couple of years, but with the base shop so nearby it seems like they've all stuck to what they know so far - with any luck I'll be about to introduce them to a few things that they'll like!

If you don't mind me asking what were the things that you most liked? May give me some more ideas as I'm trying to plan way ahead for cooking about a week before Christmas - boy that'll be a busy week!

jennyjelly

On the subject of the 'dried fruit soaked in booze and dipped in chocolate' type sweeties, try this for a double header.

Make blackberry vodka by filling a jar with blackberries & sugar, filling up with vodka and leaving for a few weeks then straining it off.

Then instead of chucking the blackberry remains away squeeze it out, make it into little balls and dip them in melted chocolate.

Two lots of deliciousness for the price of one.

floss2

jennyjelly wrote: »

On the subject of the 'dried fruit soaked in booze and dipped in chocolate' type sweeties, try this for a double header.

Make blackberry vodka by filling a jar with blackberries & sugar, filling up with vodka and leaving for a few weeks then straining it off.

Then instead of chucking the blackberry remains away squeeze it out, make it into little balls and dip them in melted chocolate.

Two lots of deliciousness for the price of one.

We did this with the damsons from last year's damson gin - they were scrumptious draped elegantly over a lump of chocolate log & partnered by vanilla icecream on Boxing Day

Butterfly_Brain

Do you remember cocacabana bars?
I make my own ,just make as you would coconut ice and add rum and glace cherries, mix well leave to set and cover in chocolate - luverly

karensmith

Really, really want to try all these recipes out now, so hoping to get some practice in making them, then do some as xmas gifts as some have suggested. Does anyone know where you can get little boxes or jars especially for this sort of thing, want to make it look presentable, even if it dosent taste that good after I have made them

Thank You

gravitytolls

Oooh, my mouth is watering. I'm getting out the toffee pan at the weekend.

~*Plushroom*~

Finally tested out making coconut ice yesterday - I was so pleased that I managed to get the mixture right - in every other sweet making exercise I've never managed to get it to the soft ball stage.

It tastes absolutely brilliant too, I had to test it of course! Shame I couldn't wait until it cool - painful but tasty. I'm going to dust it lightly in icing sugar today.

So I shall make my friends coconut ice at the very least! I thought of doing fudge as well, but every time I do that I make tablet - very nice, but definatly not fudge!

jennyjelly

floss2 wrote: »

We did this with the damsons from last year's damson gin - they were scrumptious draped elegantly over a lump of chocolate log & partnered by vanilla icecream on Boxing Day

Ooh I can feel my spare tyre growing in anticipation!