Homemade Christmas Present

[MikeRafone]

Do you make homemade Christmas presents?

Im making small hampers this year, but making the hamper presents with a friend. Doubling up with a friend we are hoping to cut costs, we have a few ideas but any others would be useful and gratefully recieved.

We get together to make stuff and use recipes and YouTube tutorials to make items

This year we have mini christmas cakes, mini ginger bread loaves - both are going to be with icing. Pate, in pesto jars with a butter seal, lime and lemon marmalade & orange curd, chocolate meringue kisses - to go with the orange curd. Biscotti and wed like to make another biscuit type gift - but obviously it needs to be able to last 10 days?

We did fudge last year but it was incredibly sweet, so we are giving that a miss this year. We also have ditched the onion relish

Ginger syrup/cordial?
Do you have access to a hot sealer to seal the biscuits in plastic bags?

I make plum jam which is very very easy and always tastes better then shop bought.

Also candied almonds

Chocolate truffles (also super easy)
Or hot chocolate truffles to melt into hot chocolate.

Usually shortbread with chocolate sandwhiched or drizzled on top.

Everything packaged nicely in compostable stuff. I bought some plant based plastic mini bags and used them tied with bright red raffia ribbon.

I make orangettes.
Basically candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate.
Easy to make and very popular.

I second homemade jam. Also Jamie Oliver’s hot choc jar - big hit!

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/ultimate-hot-chocolate/

in the past I have made: sweet chilli sauce or jam; blackcurrant cordial; flavoured gin; chocolate slabs (melted chocolate with flavours or bits like nuts stirred in); spice mixes (eg for a particular curry); crackers; strawberry syrup (for ice cream topping); truffles; nuts dipped in chocolate or nut brittle. I find Lidl good for ingredients. Also stuff from garden like dried herbs or chillies or tomatoes (but I have a dehydrator which makes some of this easier)

Chocolate truffles (also super easy)

I make orangettes.
Basically candied orange peel dipped in dark chocolate.

they sound great 😊

Do you have access to a hot sealer to seal the biscuits in plastic bags?

I don’t have a anything like that.

previous years we’ve made the biscotti and they’ve lasted well in a Chrismas decorated bag tied tight with wrapping ribbon

Home made flavoured butter

Homemade shortbread is lovely. You could use Xmas cookie cutters.