HM Sweets for Xmas Presents - cheap recipes?

mink35

well it was in fridge for ages, didn't know what else to do with it.

Err - eat it! It's chocolate! ;D

16011996

i would have but it was smashed to bits from being in my handbag, and i always get it down me. ;D

magnolia65

I have been trying to do a definitive search for homemade sweets but can't seem to find much (I'm sure they're hidden away inside random threads though)

I have took inspiration from you people and have spent this week sorting my house out to free up next week to make some homemade sweets.

I picked up some lovely gift boxes from hobbycraft the other day for 1.47 each and have the image in my head of what all these yummy treats will look like in them....well here's hoping

I would be very grateful for all your recipes and personal favourites from things like coconut ice to fudge and turkish delight.

kathyd_2

There is a thread on here entitled Turkish Delight - sorry don't know how to link it, I made it successfully but it was quite hard work. Yesterday I came across another recipe which looks a little less physical, and I'm going to give it a go next week.

TURKISH DELIGHT

25g Powdered gelatine
255ml water
4 tsp rose water
450g caster sugar
3-4 drops red food colouring
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tsp cornflour

Lightly oil a 20 x 25cm baking tin.
Mix gelatine, water and rose water in a large heavy based pan and add the sugar.
Heat gently until the sugar and gelatine have dissolved, stirring continuously.
When dissolved bring to the boil without stirring.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 mins.
Remove from the heat, stir in the food colouring and leave to cool for 2-3 minutes
Pour mixture into oiled tin and leave to set for 24 hours
Cut into squares
Mix cornflour and icing sugar together and toss the TD in the mixture.
Store in an airtight container, between layers of greaseproof paper.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT BALLS

225g Desiccated coconut
125g Icing Sugar
190g Condensed Milk
Milk/Plain/White chocolate to cover

Mix coconut and sugar into condensed milk.
Make small balls from the mixture. Leave to harden in the fridge.
Melt chocolate in a small basin over a pan of simmering water.
Drop balls into chocolate (I use a cocktail stick as its easier to dip into choc.)
Put the balls onto greaseproof paper to set

These can be made in advance and frozen.

I have covered mine in milk, plain and white chocolate - milk and plain then drizzled with white chocolate across the top and the white were drizzled with the darker chocolate. (They look like something you would buy out of Thorntons)

:xmassign:

tallulah_beaulah

I used the fudge recipe from this thread:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=430566#post430566
to make some homemade christmas fudge as gifts. It's delicious, and a bit time consuming (stirring for 30mins) but not difficult.

check around the mega index thread for specific sweets eg. fudge is alphabetically listed under "f".
hth.

beachbeth

This recipe was highly recommended and, although I haven't yet tried it for myself, other people have and say its lovely!

Fudge

900 grams white sugar
1 can condensend milk
1 can water
60 grams butter
15 ml golden syrup
5 ml vanilla essence

Grease and line an oven tray with non-stick baking parchment.

Boil together all ingredients except vanilla for 1 hour over a gently heat. Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat with an electric mixer for 7 minutes. (The 7 minutes is very important, believe me). Pour straight into an oven tray and allow to set (if you can )

beachbeth

Peppermint Creams

1 lb icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp lemon juice
1 egg white
4 drops peppermint essence

Mix all ingredients together until well mixed and smooth. Turn the mixture out onto a board sprinkled with icing sugar and roll out until quarter of an inch thick. Use shaped cutters to cut into decorative shapes. Place the shapes on a baking sheet and cover loosely with another sheet and leave for 24 hours before serving.

Marshmallows

4 oz icing sugar, sifted
12 oz sugar
2 tsp powdered glucose
10 fl oz water
1 oz gelatine dissolved in 4 fl oz warm water
1 egg white, beaten until it forms stiff peaks
1 tsp vanilla essence

Use 1oz of the icing sugar to dust a 8x8 inch square baking tin.

Dissolve the sugar and glucose in the water over a low heat and keep stirring. Once the sugar is dissolved increase the heat to moderate and slowly bring to the boil. Boil without stirring until a little of the syrup dropped into cold water forms a hard ball. Take off the heat.

Place the gelatine in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar syrup, stirring all the time. Using a wire whisk beat in the egg white and keep beating until the mixture is stiff. Add the vanilla essence and then spoon the mix into the dusted tin. Leave to cool. Once set, cut into 1 inch squares and roll in the rest of the icing sugar.

You can also roll them in desiccated coconut or coat in melted chocolate. Also, try adding a little pink food colouring if you prefer pink ones!

kathyd_2

Thanks for the marshmallow recipe beachbeth. I really, really love marshmallows. Ever tried to see how many you can get in your mouth in one go? :rotfl:

catznine

This is one we make every year:-


:xmastree: Mini Christmas Puddings:-

Glace cherries
Brandy (optional)
Marzipan
Chocolate (I prefer dark)
White fondant icing or some white royal icing
Red and green icing or gel icing tubes


Wash the glace cherries under a tap to get rid of the stickiness and if you want to use brandy start 3 weeks early but even 1 week will do, then soak the cherries in a small bowl of brandy covered in cling film for a week or 2 (3 weeks even better) drain off the brandy and use as a liquer (cherry brandy sort of:D )

Take walnut size pieces of marzipan roll into a ball and then flatten out and roll around the cherries until covered. Pop into a fridge until chilled.

Melt chocolate and dip the marzipan covered cherries into the chocolate and pop onto a tray to set. I use a cocktail stick to do this.

When chocolate has set use small pieces of white fondant or use some royal icing to decorate the top. Using the icing/gel tubes pipe some holly on top.

Put into little sweetie cases:xmassmile

kathyd_2

Does anyone know where to get powdered glucose? I've seen the liquid stuff, would this do?