OS Christmas Support thread & timetable

Mellika

voodoozoe wrote: »

I am making Bath Salts from this link ...chosen because I already have glass jars, red food colouring and peppermint essential oil in the house;)

May I ask where you got the Epsom salts from?
Thanks

voodoozoe

Mellika wrote: »

May I ask where you got the Epsom salts from?
Thanks

I have not bought the Epsom Salts yet so any suggestions would be gratefully received!!! I think I have some soap making suppliers bookmarked from Googling so would probably look on them and then check out places like Wilkinsons or Home Bargains for comparison.:D

craftlady

I get Epsom Salts from the chemist - ask at the counter:D

craftlady

Shelbell - are you serious about the werthers vodka!!!! How much of each - how long do you leave it.:o

Welshwoofs

Here's a recipe I've made many times for Christmas Gifts. It's an Italian recipe many hundreds of years old for an almond biscuit which the Sienese give out as gifts at Christmas. The wonderful thing about Ricciarelli is that you can do so many different things to them and they are SO easy to make.

Shockingly I've seen very small packets of these on sale in some of the 'posher' supermarkets at Xmas for nearly £5 :eek:

These are deliciously moist in the centre with a delicate 'crust' and keep VERY well. I put them in coloured celephane bags with a nice ribbon.

Here's a link to a photo of them piled up in an Italian shop in the festive season: http://www.paradoxplace.com/Perspectives/Italian%20Images/images/Siena%20&%20South/Siena-Images/Shops%20&%20Facades/Ricciarelli%20Nov%2002%20AR.jpg
Ricciarelli


Ingredients for 12-16 cookies

2 large egg whites
6 oz ground almonds
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract


[OPTIONALS]
Boozy version: 1 tablespoon of Rum OR Brandy OR Amaretto to flavour
Choccy version: 1 large bar of Dark or Milk Chocolate
Cirtus version: Zest of 1/2 orange OR zest of 1 lemon

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 200C (390F)

1. Sieve icing sugar, flour & baking powder into a bowl then mix in the ground almonds.

2. Put egg whites into a separate bowl, add almond extract and whisk whites until stiff

3. Stir stiffened egg whites into the dry mixture until a dough is formed.

4. IF going for the Boozy version add the booze now! IF going for the citrus version, add the zest now!

5. Sprinkle a board with sifted icing sugar, take a desertspoon of the dough, roll in the icing sugar and form into a ball. Flatten the ball a little with the back of a fork. Repeat until all dough is used.

6. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and place the dough balls on with a little space for 'spread' during cooking.

7.Pop into a preheated oven at 200c (390f) for approx 10-12 minutes (or until golden brown).

8. Allow to cool completely on a rack.

9. IF going for the choccy option, melt a bar of good dark or milk chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan of water. Dip the cooled Ricciarelli into the melted chocolate and place back on greaseproofed sheet.

Mellika

Oooh my granny makes those every christmas, they're traditional in my family (she's italian). They are delicious, will go down a treat with anybody!

saversarn

craftlady wrote: »

Shelbell - are you serious about the werthers vodka!!!! How much of each - how long do you leave it.:o

There is a huge thread about toffee vodka on here from last year, werthers is good but my fav is cough candy vodka :drool:

ShelBell

craftlady wrote: »

Shelbell - are you serious about the werthers vodka!!!! How much of each - how long do you leave it.:o

Yup, I got some cordial bottles from lakeland to make mine in this year, think they hold about 400mls. Added 1 tube packet of werthers and they all dissolve into the voddie I had to crush mine as they didn't fit in the neck lol which might have sped up the dissolving (only took 2-3 days) but I beleive it normally takes 2 weeks.

You can do it with skittles, pear drops etc for variety oooh or chocolate!

nungirl

I got carried away with all this and have done two bottles of toffee vodka but i sued the 70cl bottle and shoved a 400g bag of werthers in there! Not sure how they are going to turn out! :eek:

I have also tried to make plum jam but it doesnt seem to have set at all so am simply going t call it plum sauce and tell people to put it on duck or ice cream!:rotfl:

ShelBell

With the plum jam it took ages to get to setting point, I tried using a sugar thermometer but that was annoying me so reverted to wrinkle test and it's set beautifully