Food Hampers

JHKE

I am interested in making a favourites food hamper for my nan this year - hopefully by making it myself.. although proberbly not all of it. Couple of queries...

1)I thought there was already a thread on homemade food for christmas hampers - but can't find it, can someone point me to it if its not just a figment of my imagination.

2)So far I have - Favourite Sweets, Jam, Cake and Chocolate (will have to buy this one) anyone got any more ideas (preferbly things I can make, but any suggestions would be helpful)

3) Last one - How long do these things keep for, so I know latest date to make certain items.


Thanks for your help

Roz_V

Hi,

Good luck with the hamper!! If you look in the Gift Baskets and Hamper Index (stickied at the top of the first page of the forum), there is a whole section linking to foodie gifts to fill hampers. The direct link is here, but also look here for recipes for homemade hamper contents!

HTH
Roz_V

lucrecia_595

Hi there,

I'm making a hamper with lots of different things in, no particular theme, but food-wise I'm making mini xmas cakes (already baked and feeding), a gorgeous mango chutney that goes down lovely with cheese and crackers, an orange sauce to go with xmas dinner and maybe some jams too.

I can give you the recipe for the mini xmas cakes if you like. I'm waiting on the mango chutney and orange sauce recipes from my Dad at the moment but will post once I get them!

Hope this helps

JHKE

lucrecia_595 - A recipe would be great.. Does it have nuts in it as I need a nut free one...I've ordered the ingredients for a christmas cake out of a recipe book, however it has nuts in it - was just going to leave it out..

lucrecia_595

The recipe I use has nuts in as an optional ingredient, but I didn't add them to mine and they turned out just as gorgeous.

This recipe is enough to make 12 Mini Cakes.

Ingredients
9oz Plain Flour
6oz Brown Sugar
2oz Caster Sugar
6 Eggs
8oz Butter (room temperature)
2 tbls Black treacle
1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 Tbls of Brandy(Optional)
Juice of a lemon
2lb Mixed Fruit
4-6oz Glace Cherries (chopped and folded into 1oz Plain flour
2-4oz Almonds (Optional)

Method
You will need to collect 12 small Baked bean or similar small can and wash thoroughly. If the can has had a pull tab on it you will have been left with a small rim so you need to cut out the bottom of the can. Turn the can upside down and the bottom will now rest on the rim around the top, like a normal cake tin.( Be careful as the can bottom is likely to be sharp).

Line each can as you would a normal cake tin using greaseproof paper, making the side paper come up 5cm/2" above the sides of the cans.
Place the Black Treacle in a bowl to warm in the oven.
Using a wooden spoon, cream the butter and both the sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs a little at a time and then add the combined sifted flour and spices, beating well to make sure that everything is combined.
Now add all the fruit, cherries and almonds (if including) and stir well, then add the final ingredients, the warmed treacle, vanilla essence, juice of the lemon and the brandy, again stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the cans, there should be enough for 12 cans. Place the cans on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven. Cook for approximately 1½hrs. Check after an hour, (as the cakes are small and ovens vary it is worth checking on them after an hour)

I made 6 cakes and just halved all the ingredients and they turned out just fine. I hope this helps!

MeNikki

My stepdad loves 'pindarotsjes' (= little peanut rocks - they are peanuts covered in chocolate). Where he lives (in spain), they are not common. SO one year (when I was still living in Spain too) I made some myself. Bought non-salted peanuts and some of his favourite dark and milk chocolate. Just melt the chocolate, pile a few peanuts on greaseproof paper, drizzle chocolate on them and cool them. I then wrapped them in cellophane and put nice ribbons around. He absolutely adored them. They didn't get to see the new year.

that might be something for a home made hamper, instead of peanuts any type of nut could be used or raisins.