Ideas for home made christmas presents?

[iwouldgoouttonight]

I posted this in the christmas topic but wondered if people might be able to help me over here too. We're a bit short of cash and I normally make presents for friends anyway but a bit stuck for ideas now. Previously I've made mini hampers with fudge, gingerbread, biscuits, etc but don't want to do the same every year! Also finding nice jars/packaging turned out to be quite expensive. Think I may have left it too late to do jams/pickles?

So does anyone have any ideas for presents I could make that don't cost much don't take too long and that everyone will think are wonderful??!!

I have done litttle hampers of spices before, for foodie-friends. Just find some nice jars (or even schwartz jars) and cover the lids/tops in pretty fabric. Add bundles of cinnamon sticks tied with nice ribbon, vanilla-sticks ditto, and I lay them on a bed of dried herbs(from the garden).Or dry some lemon/orange slices and tie up with fibbon. Or do an orange pomander (?) thing with the cloves?
It's not too late to do an Apple/chilli (or Apple/rosemary) Jelly, dead easy, and cheap if you can get some apples from a friendly neighbour (we've got absol-bloody-lutley loads this year. This recipe is very pretty, pale gold, in jamjars with a festive fabric top. If you're interested I can post the recipe.

Ooh yes please - apple and chilli sounds lovely - even if I don't make it for presents I might make it for myself.

I would also like the apple / chilli jelly - we have loads of apples cut up in the freezer from our tree this year

please please?

What about some smelly sachets filled with dried lavendar for hanging in wardrobes - those are really useful and you could put them in some pretty boxes/gift bags - can you sew by the way?!

choc truffles.
you can make them with boozy flavours, or just plain.
box them up in pretty coloured tissue paper and little boxes and tie up with ribbon and they look dead posh.
everyone loves choc truffles, and home made?? yum!

you can make in one big batch and people will think it took you hours... but it doesnt really take all that long.

lemon curd is also quick and easy. What about shortbread (don't make it yet though!) or Mini Christmas puds in ramekins? Or buy cheap mugs (dunelm) and fill them with posh teabags or some nice chocs and coffe sachets?

chutney's easy & still not too late (can post recipe if you want one - we did it last year. Although I agree - nice kilner jars add up !
Sparkybabe - I'd like to jelly recipe too, please

good housekeeping mag has a good article abou this and a nice recipe for christmas pudding vodka which I am going to try.

i think id be rather more impressed with receiving choc truffles than a pot of lemon curd! not that im pissing on your lemon curd parade or anything...

OK roll your sleeves up! Apple Jelly.

Chop up the apples, don't worry about coring or peeling, just chop any bad/bruised bits off. Put in a large preserving pan with enough water to just cover.
Bring to the boil then simmer untill apple is pulpy.
Tie muslin to the legs of an upturned chair and tip apple into it, leave overnight until all the juice is drained out. Don't forget to put a large bowl underneath! Don't squeeze the bag, as this will make the jelly cloudy. Chuck pulp away.
Measure the juice and use 450g preserving sugar for every 500ml of juice.Put in a preserving pan and add chilli flakes/rosemary sprigs(use fresh chilli sparingly, as it can affect the set) and boil until sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly until set (use the saucer/wrinkle test or sugar thermometer at 105C.)
when potting up, try to add a bit of chilli/sprig of rosemary to each.

This jelly is delic. with cheese, ham, etc and you can use it to glaze a ham, add a spoon to gravy, casseroles, mince dishes...you could even make a plain one (no rosemary/chilli) and mix a spoonful into the filling for applepie/crumble/flapjacks.

Thank you very much. I'm hungry now! Is there a recipe for choc truffles anywhere?

chocolate truffles - bucket chemistry style

I large chocolate mud cake (bought or home made)
approx 200-250ml of single cream
200g dark chocolate
rum/brandy/tia maria/name your poison

Put the cake in a large bowl and use your hands to squash and scrunch it up. Slowly add the cream and melted chocolate, and alcohol to taste. It should become a 'rollable' dough, a bit sticky though. (so don't add all the liquid at once)

Refrigerate over night (makes it much easier to roll)

Roll onto balls (smaller than golf balls - the choc coating makes them a fair bit bigger), stick on the end of a skewer and dip in melted milk/dar/white chocolate, and then in nuts/cocoa/coconut/whatever, or leave plain.

Keep in the fridge for about a week (???remember there is egg in the choc cake, and the cream doesn't last forever)

It is a bit bucket chemistry-ish, but its actually very simple (especially if you buy the cake) and they taste absolutely wonderful.

Ooh, lovely. Thank you very much.