Homemade Christmas Gifts

Hey Everyone,

So, last post until after Christmas, and this one will show you how to make plenty of delicious, quick and easy, edible gifts to give at Christmas - or any time of the year! My sister and I always find that with a big family, it can be difficult to find presents for everyone, and we usually end up making something festive to eat. Here are some of the things we usually put in the goodie bags for under the tree!

Handmade Chocolates

Out of all the things we ever make, these are always in the bags. This is due to them being simple to make and also very easily changeable flavours, so massive variety is available. Virtually anything goes with it, so flavours can vary from things like whole nuts to dried fruits like cranberries and sour cherries, as well as more odd combinations like chilli (not a personal favourite!), and many more - though sometimes plain is best!
Once you have the suitable chocolate molds, you can do what you like! A recipe for this won't be needed to be provided by me, so try to make so yourself at home and experiment!

Coconut Ice

Coconut Ice is one of the easiest sweets I've ever made, along with the chocolates previous and the peppermint creams which I couldn't include in this post, unfortunately. It consists of only three ingredients and takes hardly any time to make at all - though at the end of the cooking time, you must act quickly to get in the tray, because it hardens incredibly quickly after being removed from the heat.

Remember to score the top, so it's easier to cut and doesn't crumble apart; it can be more stable, though, if you have a layer of something like chocolate over the top.

Coconut Ice - From "The Sweets Book" By Shona Crawford Poole

Makes about 680g

Ingredients -

• 450g Granulated Sugar
• 150ml Fresh Milk
• 170g Desiccated Coconut

1. Butter or oil a tin measuring about 20cm (8in) square.

2. Put the sugar in a heavy pan with the milk and heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved. Wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Raise the heat and boil the syrup to the soft ball stage (116 Degrees Centigrade/240 Degrees Fahrenheit). Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir the coconut.

3. Pour the mixture at once into the prepared tin and wen it has cooled a little, mark the coconut ice into squares. Wait until it's completely cold before cutting. If you want to make it the traditional pink and white coconut ice have ready a few drops of red food colouring. Pour half the white coconut mixture into the prepared tin , then colour the rest and pour it over the first layer.

Marshmallow Fudge

This recipe is absolutely foolproof, as I've made it many times for Christmas and birthdays, as it's simple and easy for younger children to participate in making - and therefore take home at cooking parties.

For anyone with a sweet tooth, this would be the perfect gift; marshmallow fudge is made of LOTS and LOTS of sugar, melted together with butter and milk, a delicious holiday snack!

Magic Marshmallow Fudge - From the Usborne "Children's Activities Chocolates & Sweets" Book

Makes 36 Pieces

Ingredients - 

• 450g Icing Sugar
• 100g White Marshmallows
• 2 Tbsp Milk
• 100g Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

1. Line a shallow 18cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Sift the icing sugar through a sieve into a large bowl and make a small well in the middle. Using scissors cut the marshmallows in half and put the in a small pan. Add the milk, butter and vanilla essence.

3. Gently heat the mixture. Stir it every now and then with a wooden spoon until everything has melted. Pour the mixture into the hollow in the icing sugar. Beat everything together with a wooden spoon until it's smooth.

4. Put the fudge into the tin and push it into the corners. Use a spoon to make the spoon as flat as you can. When the fudge is cooler, put the tin in the fridge for about three hours, or until the  fudge is firm.

5. Using a blunt knife to loosen the edges odf the fudge, turn it out onto a chopping board. Remove the paper. Curt the fudge into 36 pieces. Then, put it in the fridge for an hour to harden. Keep it in an airtight container.

Peanut Brittle

This is the first year that we've ever made peanut brittle and it's worked out really well! Peanut brittle is definitely the sweet that takes the longest, but also one of the most simple - it's just a whole lot of slowly heating sugar (about 25 minutes actually)!

After it's hardened in the fridge, which also takes a while to do, the end result is amazing! Break it into little and the peanuts and the sugar contrast together really well - like honey roasted peanuts, only in small, golden shards!

Peanut Brittle - From "Something Sweet" Magazine Edition 3

Makes 700g

Ingredients -

• Melted Butter, for greasing
• 275g Unsalted Blanched Peanuts
• 350g Granulated Sugar
• 175g Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 115g Golden Syrup
• 150ml Cold Water
• 75g Butter, diced
• 1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 33 x 23cm Swiss roll tin with melted butter and set it aside on a heatproof surface. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180 C/360 F.

2. Place the nuts on a chopping board and, using a long, sharp knife, chop them very roughly. Transfer all the chopped nuts to a baking sheet and spread them in an even layer. Roast them in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly toasted. Turn the oven off, but leave the tray of nuts in the oven, with door slightly open, to keep them warm.

3. Place both the granulated sugar and light brown soft sugar in a heavy-based saucepan, then add the granulated sugar and pour in the water.

4. Heat the mixture gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until both the sugars have completely dissolved.

5. Stir in he diced butter, and continue heating gently and stirring until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil, without stirring. Place the lid on the saucepan and boil for 2 minutes.

6. Uncover the saucepan and clip a sugar thermometer on it's side. Continue gently boiling the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches about 146 - 154 Degrees C on the thermometer, which is the hard crack stage. This will take at least 20 - 25 minutes - don't be tempted to boil the mixture really rapidly or it may burn and stick to the base of the pan.

7. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the warm peanuts and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Take care at this stage, as the mixture may bubble up when the bicarbonate of soda is added.

8. Pour the hot mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out into the four corners using the wooden spoon. Leave it until it has set hard and cooled down.

9. Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on a board and invert the tin onto it. Press down firmly on the base of the tin and the sheet of brittle will fall out. Break it into small chunks and wrap them in greaseproof paper. They will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.

Please Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!

Devonshire Splits

Hey Everyone,

Another update... Three in a row! Once again it really has nothing to do Christmas particularly, but I'll try to get a post updated on things to make at Christmas before, so keeps checking for extra updates!
Anyway, this time I'm going to introduce you to a delicious teatime snack and great alternative to the cone - the Devonshire Split! The Devonshire Split is a sweet, enriched bun, split down the middle, topped with extra thick Jersey cream, along with a jam of your choosing - Usually I have raspberry or strawberry jam. (They can also be eaten with ice cream in the summer!) They're relatively easy to make so definitely worth making; although they are better on the day of making as they turn stale very quickly.

If I don't update before, have a very merry Christmas!

Devonshire Splits - From "Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding"

Makes 12
Prep Time - 15 Minutes
Proving Time - 2-2 1/2 Hours
Cooking Time - 15 Minutes

Ingredients -

• 450g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 Tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Caster Sugar
• 275ml Full Fat Milk
• 15g Fresh Yeast
• 50g Unsalted Butter

To Serve 

• Thick Jersey Cream
• Jam, any flavour you want!

1. Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl and mix well. Put the milk, crumbled yeast and melted butter into a jug or bowl and whisk to combine well and dissolve the yeast. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.

2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Put back into a lightly floured bowl, cover and place in a warm place for 1 - 1 and a half hours, until doubled in size.

3. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball. Put them on the prepared baking trays, leaving room between them as they will spread. Sprinkle with flour, then cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until they have doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade/180 Degrees Centigrade Fan/Gas Mark 6. Bake the buns for 15 minutes, until golden brown, then place on a rack and leave to cool. To serve, split them (but not all the way through), fill them with extra thick Jersey cream and top with jam.

Please Enjoy!!!

Banoffee Tumbler Trifles!!

Hey everyone,

I know hardly been any time since my last post, but I'm attempting to post all of my post unchristmassy before Christmas, so posts may briefly be more regular!
As some of you may have noticed, I'm very interested in the Great British Bake Off, and others may remember a past winner - Francis Quinn. Last year she released a recipe book called "Quintessential Baking" which I have, and it's really good! It has different takes on common bakes, such as vanilla cake (Victoria Sponge!), carrot cake, lemon cake and so on... In particular, it was a version of a banana cake which caught my eye that looked especially fun to make - Banoffee Tumbler Trifles!

It's a mixture between a banoffee pie and a trifle, two classic British puddings! They are served in tumblers individually and look spectacular as an end result, with a banana and pecan cake base, soaked in rum.
They do take a very long time to make, due to all the different layers in it, though they can be made in advance. (Or you can cheat and buy a caramel and/or a custard from your local supermarket!)

Banoffee Tumbler Triflers - From "Quintessential Baking"

Makes 4 Trifles

For the Custard

• 200ml Double Cream
• 2 Egg Yolks (at room temperature)
• 20g Caster Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Cakes

• 50g Muscovado Sugar
• 50g Very Ripe Banana Flesh (from about 1/2 medium banana)
• 1 Egg (at room temperature)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
• 50g Self-Raising Flour
• 50g Pecans

For the Caramel

• 50g Golden Syrup
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 100ml Double Cream
• Pinch of Salt, optional

To Decorate

• 50g Hard Banana Chips
• 50ml Dark Rum
• 300ml Double Cream
• 4 Small, Medium-Ripe
• 50g Butterscotch Chips
• Cocoa Powder, to dust

1. If your're making your own custard, pour the cream into a medium saucepan and set over a gentle heat. Bring to just below simmering. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream to the bowl, whisking all the time to combine all the ingredients.

2. Immediately pour the mixture back into the pan, using a heatproof plastic or silicone spatula to get it all out the bowl. With the spatula, or a wooden spoon, stir over a gentle heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula/spoon. Pour the custard back in the bowl and cover the surface directly with clingfilm to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool.

3. Next make the cakes. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/160 Degrees Centigrade Fan/Gas Mark 4. Put the four muffin cases into the muffin tin.

4. Using a hand-mixer electric whisk (it's tricky to beat this small quantity in a free-standing mixer), beat the butter and sugar together for 5 - 10 mins or until the mix is very light and creamy and takes on a pale cafe-au-lait shade.Put the banana flesh in a bowl and smush it into a puree using a fork or spatula.

5. Gradually add the egg to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl as you go. Should the mixture look like it's starting to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold it in until just combined. Finally, stir through the pureed banana and chopped pecans.

6. Spoon the cake mixture into your four cases, dividing it equally, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the cakes have risen and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer, still in the paper cases, to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. Weigh the golden syrup into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the caster sugar over the surface of the golden syrup. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook gently for about three minutes or until the syrup has become a rich amber colour.

8. Remove from the heat and pour in the double cream, stirring as it bubbles up to thoroughly combine everything. Add the salt if you are creating a salted caramel. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool.

9. Once the cakes and caramel have cooled, you can assemble your trifles. Set aside four of the best looking banana chips and break the remainder into small pieces - do this with a sharp knife or your fingers.

10. Remove the banana cakes from their cases and cut or crumble them into bite-sized pieces. You will use one cake per tumbler: put the cake pieces in the base of the tumbler and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of rum. Press the cake down with a spoon and set aside to soak.

11. Meanwhile, use a hand-held electric whisk to whip the double cream to soft-to-medium; set aside. Cover the cake in the tumblers with the caramel, dividing it evenly. Scatter the broken banana chips over the caramel.

12. Cut the fresh bananas into 5mm slices - you will be using one banana per trifle, so you might find it easier to work on one trifle at a time. Arrange some of the banana slices around the inside of the tumbler, pressing the slices up against the side so the whole slice is visible. Put the remaining banana slices within the ring of upright banana.

13. Next, cover the bananas with the custard, dividing it equally among the four tumblers. Use a spoon or a small palette knife to smooth the surface of the custard. Keep back a few butterscotch chips to decorate the trifles; scatter the remainder over the custard.

14. Top with the softly whipped cream, using a palette knife to smooth it out a bit but still keeping the slightly rustic finish. Sift a little cocoa powder over the centre of each cream-topped trifle and decorate with a dried banana chip and the reserved butterscotch pieces.

Please Enjoy!!!

Bakewell Tart Traybake

Hey everyone,

Well, I'm sorry for not updating for a while, but I've been unwell (and busy with schoolwork!) so it's meant that up until recently I haven't been able to do much cooking.
Anyway, to get back into the swing of things, I've started with something simple and delicious - a take on a well known classic. By baking a traybake instead of the actual tart, you end up with the same flavours, but in a quicker and easier way. For (other) Bakewell tart lovers, this will be a perfect afternoon snack, a bakewell tart with a Mary Berry twist!

Bakewell Tart Traybake

Makes 21 squares

Ingredients -

• 4 Tbsp Raspberry Jam
• Flaked Almonds, for sprinkling

For the pastry

• 175g Plain Flour
• 85g Hard Butter, dices

For the sponge

• 115g Butter, softened
• 115g Caster Sugar
• 175g Self-Raising Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Tsp Almond Essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/Fan 160 Degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4

2. To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Bind to a dough with two or three tablespoons of cold water. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and line the tin; spread with the jam.

3. To make the sponge, measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for 2 minutes or until well blended. Transfer to tin, level the surface and sprinkle with almonds.

4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares. Lift out using a palette knife.

Please Enjoy!!!!