It’s never too early for a thrifty, gifty Christmas 18 September 2019 at 1:54PM edited 18 September 2019 at 3:30PM in Old style MoneySaving 34 replies 11K views

Former_MSE_Tine

As the semi-resident Old Style expert/fanatic of MSE, I am (in)famous across our office floor for being a human incarnation of a cornucopia of homemade cakes, cordials, preserves and sweets. Even Martin has fallen for the charms of my balsamic pecans, and my appearances in the office on a Monday morning usually gets a few greetings of "hey *cough* any… banana bread?"

So here is the first of hopefully many blogs inspired by our Old Style board.

Rhubarb & Ginger Cordial

Please share your successes, recipes and photos!

Farway

MSE_Tine wrote: »

It’s never too early for a thirty, gifty Christmas

Proof reader?:D
Thrifty maybe?

Former_MSE_Tine

Farway wrote: »

Proof reader?:D
Thrifty maybe?

Alas from time to time my auto cucumber is not my friend 🤪

Trust me... it’s done much worse in the past :rotfl:

(Edited though, thank you )

Topher

MSE_Tine wrote: »

As the semi-resident Old Style expert/fanatic of MSE, I am (in)famous across our office floor for being a human incarnation of a cornucopia of homemade cakes, cordials, preserves and sweets. Even Martin has fallen for the charms of my balsamic pecans
Rhubarb & Ginger Cordial

Please share your successes, recipes and photos!

you can't just mention them then not share the recipe! (Balsamic pecans - which I'm assuming is not a euphemism).

Topher

Our family has hit a wall this year with the usual home made gift exchange, in that two family units have converted to a keto diet. I've also lost the recipe with, essentially the adjusted cooking time and temperature, for Christmas cake mix divided into small, clean, baked bean tins to bake then ice mini christmas cakes to distribut to various rellies. So if anyone else does this, and has the crucial times and temperatures please share. (I have a good Christmas cake recipe), the missing part is altering the timing for the smaller portions, I've tried doing the larger cake and dividing into smaller squares, but the cut edge isn't as good for icing as the baked in a bean tin outer surface used to be.

Brambling

For years my late mum would make a couple of elderly friends both with no families a small Christmas cake and deliver a few days before Christmas. She would make an extra 7inch square cake and cut in half before icing just the top. She did make a good Christmas cake

Gers

Topher wrote: »

Our family has hit a wall this year with the usual home made gift exchange, in that two family units have converted to an essentially keto diet. I've also lost the recipe with, essentially the adjusted cooking time and temperature, for Christmas cake mix divided into small, clean, baked bean tins to bake then ice mini christmas cakes to distribut to various rellies. So if anyone else does this, and has the crucial times and temperatures please share. (I have a good Christmas cake recipe), the missing part is altering the timing for the smaller portions, I've tried doing the larger cake and dividing into smaller squares, but the cut edge isn't as good for icing as the baked in a bean tin outer surface used to be.

Found this:
https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/dessert-sweet-treat-recipes/tin-can-mini-christmas-cakes

caronc

My standard foodie Christmas gifts are HM bramble gin/vodka, shortbread and tablet.
Easy to do and don't need doing at the last minute.
Tablet is easy just follow this recipe and you won't go wrong https://www.carnation.co.uk/recipes/71/Milk-Tablet just remember to beat really well until it goes grainy when you take it off of the heat.

Shortbread using the following proportions of 6 flour/4 salted butter/2 caster sugar, make a dough by rubbing the flour/sugar with the butter until you get breadcrumb sized pieces, squeeze into a ball, chill for 1/2 an hour then roll until about 1cm thick, cut into rounds, !!!!! the top a few times with a fork and bake for 12ish minutes in a medium oven. Sprinkle with caster sugar after baking and make sure it's cold before you store it.
Bramble (or other berries - frozen ones are fine) gin/vodka - add a minimum of 500g (more is good) berries to 1 litre spirit in a sealable jar. Store in a cool dark place giving it a shake when you remember for 6-8 weeks. Mash the fruit/booze then strain (I use a j-cloth in a sieve) and add 125g sugar dissolved in 250ml water. Shake well every day for a week or so then strain again before bottling. You can add the sugar/water at the outset but I find I get a better result adding it after straining.

Camomile

Flavoured gin and chutneys always go down well, also gingerbread.

Gin bought last year at Aldi, added some raspberries, cinnamon bark, cloves and sugar. Let it stand for a couple of months(so start it NOW)shaking occasionally (more at the start) and strain before the fruit starts to disintegrate. Decant into small bottles( I buy some drinks in 250ml bottles and reuse them), tie a ribbon( or not), make a funny label and voila.

Chutneys are dead easy to make, can also be made in advance, they don’t need huge jars either.Chopped toms as a base with some apples and raisins chucked in, if you’re after more fancy stuff Farmfoods has fantastic frozen mango already cubed and ready to chuck in the pot.

Gingerbread- dough can also be made in advance,then just bake and decorate - easiest option is sugar glaze with some sprinkles.Reuse the coffee jar(with nice label) and they keep fresh for longer.

Former_MSE_Tine

Topher wrote: »

you can't just mention them then not share the recipe! (Balsamic pecans - which I'm assuming is not a euphemism).

Don’t worry Topher I solemnly promise that they are making an appearance in one of the blogs (on request from Martin himself :money:) complete with recipe!

Former_MSE_Tine

I’ve never made a Christmas cake in my life but maybe this is the time to do so...

I love the idea of the bean tin size ones - please hit me with all your best recipes I’ll make sure they’re credited in the blog if I manage to make them :eek: