What yummy home-made delights are you planning to make this year? As gifts or just to scoff?

[Greensleeves]

I am planning on making homemade yule logs for teachers, peppermint creams, marzipan fruits/penguins/robins, Christmas pudding shaped truffles with white icing and little icing holly toppers, Turkish delight, mini mincepies, Christmas tree cupcakes...

I am a nutter and I LOVE Christmas!!!

InNeedOff Tablet is just like fudge but set hard.

recipe here

I'm knitting lots of gifts this year. I love knitting!!!! YEAH!!!!

You can freeze shortbread. I made it for Xmas presents one year and my dad had each batch eaten before I could put another in the oven

Thanks Jenny - I was afraid it might go a bit soggy.

I will freeze some and then perhaps "quality check" them in a week, or two.

Does anyone know how to make those cooked sugary almonds/ nuts they have in little plastic cones at Christmas time in Germany?

They're kind of caramelised :)

Oh dear why did I click on this thread? Why am I only thinking about this now when everyone else is so organized?

This. In, possibly, a gingerbread box made like a gingerbread house IYSWIM. For DS1's teacher. It's his first term at school and I feel like over-achieving.

I've found a couple of recipes to try:

One

and

Two

:)

Reshape I made that bark last year and wow it was delicious! One of those recipes i have found myself thinking about from time to time all year. Definitely doing it again this year. Though finding red-and-white-striped peppermint sweets is a bloody nightmare so if you track some down please let me know.

Thank you cuteable I am so pinching that teacher idea off scottish mummy but shhhhsshh don't tell her

Thank you! I've found some lovely ideas in this thread to try :)

Chocolate Fudge, rolled into balls and dusted with icing sugar/cocoa

75g full fat cream cheese
350g icing sugar
1 level tbls cocoa powder
75g plain chocolate drops
40g butter
100g white chocolate.
36 petit four cases.

Put the cream cheese into bowl, sift icing sugar and cocoa into the bowl. Mix well.
Melt butter and chocolate stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture.
Then pour the chocolate into cream cheese mixture, beat together until they are creamy.
tip out and cut into 36 even pieces, roll into balls.
Melt white chocolate.
Dip balls into white chocolate, then place into petit four cases and put into fridge.

Eat within 10 days.

I make small boxes big enough to hold 4 (they are so rich that 4 are enough)

My kids give them to preschool teachers.

That peppermint bark looks delish! Im going to try making some for a nursery fair this weekend. Can you just use the peppermint candy canes?

Can I freeze homemade fudge and peppermint creams or will they still be ok by christmas if I make them now? Also anyone know the approx ratio of vodka to werthers for toffee vodka? Some great ideas on this thread!

Yes if you can find some - that is what I used last year.

Well this all sounds amazing.

I would just like to let you all know that my services are available for quality-control/ taste test purposes.

No fee.

Please.

I've made jam, chutney and pickled onions - might make some pickled garlic too as I have a load to use.
I made florentines last year as presents for teachers and they look lovely.
Not making christmas cake or pudding though as I'm the only one who likes it! DP does make a good light fruit cake though, so might get him to whip one up.

I am crocheting a lot of gifts this year (did a lot of corchet and stitched gifts last year too and they went down well) but quite keen to do some foody gifts. What can I make waaaaay in advance (well now)? I know chutney/jams/vodka will keep, but are there any cakey/biscuity things?

prettyprudence what sort of things do you make? I've just learned to crochet and I'm keen to experiment.

TheOneWithTheHair This year I have made a jacket for my friends toddler, some hotpot mats, hats, gloves and some doilies. I have previously made bags, kindle cover, laptop covers, rug, throw - anything that is back and forth crochet, with minimal instructions, no lacy bits and no granny squares.

I've just started a thread for non-edible home made christmas gifts (bit of a mouthful ) here

Wow wow and wow for the peppermint bark! made it today and its amazing!

What recipe did you use cuteable? Did you find it difficult to get hold of the sweets? Was it easy to make?

Thanks pettyprudence I'll have a look. Sorry I got your name wrong before. I just noticed.

Teacher presents:

Last year made Earl Grey chocolate cream truffles - super easy, no cook, look impressive (dust them in cocoa powder or choco strands).

This year will be coconut ice - mega easy, looks pretty when wrapped, and am going to attempt cardamom fudge.