I believe that this year, more than ever, a well-considered homemade gift will be very much appreciated. We have not had the chance to show our loved ones how much we care this year, as we may not have had as much contact with them as usual.
So, a heartfelt handmade gift will mean a lot. This week, I have a few nice ideas for you and your family to spend quality time in the kitchen preparing something tasty and thoughtful.
Catherine
Homemade gifts
How about making up some fun DIY kits and mini hampers for Christmas presents?
- A popcorn kit complete with cinema popcorn boxes, flavourings and a few microwaveable popcorn bags.
- A kit of baked savoury biscuits with a selection of cheeses and a homemade relish.
- A set of homemade toppings for porridge.
- A homemade basting sauce with a basting brush.
- Homemade truffles with a bottle of a favourite liqueur.
- A box of afternoon treats including a nice loose teas, sugar lumps and homemade shortbread or ginger biscuits – a lovely reason to spend time with an older neighbour or relative (socially distanced, of course).
Top tips for packaging baked goods
- Always write a label with a list of the ingredients or even the entire recipe. Suggest the 'best by' date and add the date that you baked the item.
- Indicate if it needs to be stored in the fridge after opening.
- I would often suggest some serving options, especially if it is a paté or sauce that you’ve prepared.
Eco-friendly packaging
We are all recycling, so use a compostable bag, box, fun cake tin or glass jar that can be re-used. AGA Range Cooker Biscuit Tin, €15.99 + postage, thekitchenwhisk.ie.
Christmas bark
These look great in glass jars or small packages tied with pretty ribbon or twine.
Makes about 450g
For the pecan-cranberry on milk
- 100g milk chocolate
- 50g dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 50g roughly chopped pecan nuts
For the pineapple, sour cherry, orange zest and almonds on dark
- 100g dark chocolate (70%)
- 30g dried pineapple, roughly chopped
- 30g sour cherries
- 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
- 1 orange, zest only
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
Sprinkles on white
- 100g white chocolate
- 4 tbsp sprinkles of your choice
- To prepare the pecan cranberry bark, melt the milk chocolate in a bain marie. Spread the chocolate over parchment paper, about ½ cm in thickness.
- Sprinkle the dried chopped cranberries over the top and add the chopped pecans. Very lightly press them in: you still want to see the dried fruit.
- Leave to set for at least 10 hours. The bark must be completely set so you can break it up.
- To prepare the pineapple, sour cherry, orange and almond bark, melt the 70% dark chocolate in a bain marie. Stir in the ground cinnamon. Spread the melted chocolate over parchment paper about ½ cm in thickness. Sprinkle the dried pineapple, sour cherries and flaked almonds over the chocolate. Add the orange zest on top. Lightly press the dried fruits into the chocolate. Leave to set for at least 10 hours.
- To prepare the white bark, melt the white chocolate in a bain marie. Spread this over parchment paper about ½ cm in thickness. Spoon over the sprinkles. The white chocolate takes the longest to set. Leave to set for at least 12 hours.
- To package, break the chocolate bark and pack into glass jars or bags and tie securely with ribbon. The bark will keep for about 10 days to 2 weeks. It will keep longer, but sometimes moisture from the fruit seeps through.
Christmas streusel mince pies
If you are not a fan of the standard mince-meat, then some delicious alternative fillings are dried cranberries, diced pears, cinnamon and nutmeg with a little brown sugar; grated apple, blueberries and ground cloves with brown sugar; or diced plums, cinnamon and sour cherries with brown sugar.
Makes 12
For the pastry
- 200g plain flour
- 100g chilled butter, diced
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 tbsp chilled water
For the streusel topping
- 50g butter
- 80g plain flour
- 4 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 3 tbsp ground almonds
For the filling
- 150g good quality fruit mincemeat
- 1 orange, zest only
- 4 tbsp dried cranberries, soaked in 60ml orange juice
- 3 tbsp toasted flaked almonds, for the top
- Icing sugar, to dust
- You will need a 12-hole shallow bun tray and a 8cm plain scone cutter
- To prepare the pastry, place the plain flour into a bowl and add the chilled butter. Rub into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add an egg yolk, icing sugar, vanilla and enough chilled water to combine and form a dough. Wrap and place in the fridge for an hour to rest.
- To prepare the streusel topping, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the plain flour, mix together and cook while stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and ground almonds and set aside.
- When ready to assemble, combine orange zest and the soaked cranberries with the fruit mincemeat. Don’t add the excess orange juice.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Roll the pastry out on a clean surface and dust with a little flour until thin. Cut out 12 circles.
- Brush the shallow bun tin with melted butter. Place the pastry circles into the tray. Spoon filling into each. Thickly sprinkle the streusel topping over and bake for 16 to 18 minutes until baked. The pastry should be golden and crisp and the topping golden.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tins and then transfer then to a cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar and add toasted almonds over the top.
