christmas gift

Homemade hot chocolate mix is an easy, accessible gift that almost everyone loves. And it's perfect to give that homemade touch even when you're on a tight schedule!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

oz (2 4 oz bars) 100% cacao baking chocolate

c. Dutch Process Cocoa Powder

c. sugar

cornstarch

tsp salt

cayenne pepper

cinnamon

espresso powder

chocolate chips

candy canes

marshmallows

Break the chocolate bars into coarse chunks, then freeze until hard, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chocolate chunks, cocoa powder, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Process until it resembles a smooth powder. (Pro-tip: hold on tight to your food processor. It may kick around a little bit)

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 3 months.

Combine 1-2 TB of the mix with 1 c of boiling milk. Simmer on the stove for 30 seconds if you prefer it thicker.

To make Hot Chocolate:

Give a homemade gift this year and make this delicious Christmas berry jam!

Christmas berry jam recipe

cranberries

pitted cherries, halved

raspberries

lemon juice

white sugar

hulled,

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5348771529001-5580111799001

Complete how-to guide to make the best holiday cookie box with the top Christmas holiday cookies including recipes and tips. It's the best Christmas gift. 

The Best Holiday Cookie Box

chocolate

Choose the cookies

. Whether you are including homemade cookies, storebought, or both, you want to choose a variety of cookies with different shapes and sizes and flavours. This will make the cookie box look interesting. I suggest baking anywhere from 4 to 8 different types of cookies (this year I went overboard with 15 different cookies). I plan out my cookie boxes about one month ahead of time, and make changes to it as I get inspired to add new cookies, and take some off my list.

Choose other treats. Think about whether or not you want to include other treats such as candy canes, festive chocolate kisses, or peppermint candies.

Check that you have the required baking equipment. Once you have a set list of cookies that you will be baking, determine that what baking equipment you will need. Typically, for most cookies, you will need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, a hand mixer or stand mixer, large half sheet baking pan, silicone baking mat, and a wire cooling rack. You may also need a cookie scoop, Christmas cookie cutters and a rolling pin, depending on the cookies you are baking.

Make a shopping list.

Ingredients: Make a shopping list of all the ingredients that you will need (including any treats or candies that you are including).

Baking equipment: Do an inventory of the baking equipment that you have at home and determine what you need to purchase. Add anything you need to your shopping list.

Cookie boxes and accessories: For the cookie boxes, choose something that is shallow with a lid. It can be disposable cardboard boxes (like these plain boxes or these festive decorated boxes) or keepsake cookie tins. You may also want to add mini cupcake liners (to layer in smaller cookies), burlap twine or ribbon (to tie a stack of cookies together), and cardstock (to divide parts of the box) to your shopping list.

Make a schedule. It can be overwhelming when you have a list of cookies to bake, even if it is just four. Some cookies need to be chilled for hours, some need to be rolled and cut out, some need to be decorated with icing, some are sandwiched together... you get the drift. Go through each cookie recipe that you want to make, and starting with the easiest, write out a schedule starting at prep. Then, incorporate the next cookie into that schedule. Depending on the cookies you are baking, you may be able to schedule everything in one day, or spread it out over the course of a few days or weeks. The best thing is that most cookies freeze really well, so you can start baking the cookies even a month ahead and freeze them as you bake. Once you are ready to assemble your boxes and gift the cookies, just take them out of the freezer.

Assemble the box. Arrange the cookies in different ways and put cookies of different shapes, sizes and colours next together to make it look interesting. You don't want to have a big section of cookies that all look the same. Use cupcake liners and burlap twine or ribbon to group certain cookies together. Use cardstock to divide and section off areas of the box.

These homemade chocolates are filled with boozy flavours such as Pisco sour, espresso martini and Cosmopolitan – an irresistible homemade gift

Cocktail truffle selection

white chocolate

green gel food colouring (optional)

mini meringue

dark chocolate

espresso-flavoured dark chocolate

butter

icing sugar

tsp Pisco

Angostura bitters

lime

tbsp double cream

vodka

tsp Kahlúa

tbsp orange liqueur

tsp cranberry jelly

gold food colouring brush pen

coffee beans

piping bags

presentation box

tissue paper

Start by placing half the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, take the bowl off the heat and add the rest of the white chocolate and the food colouring, if using (just use a tiny amount as the gel colours are quite strong). Stir occasionally to allow the chocolate to melt in the residual heat. Sprinkle a pinch of meringue into 10 of the holes of your chocolate mould. Once the chocolate has melted, use half to coat the insides of the holes where you have sprinkled meringue. Use the end of a teaspoon to spread the chocolate up the sides of the moulds so that the the inside is coated. Leave to set for 45 mins-1 hr.

Meanwhile, melt the other chocolates in separate bowls using the same method, then use each to coat a further 10 holes of the mould. Keep back half of each chocolate mixture, as you will need this to seal the truffles.

While the chocolate sets, make the fillings. For the Pisco sour filling, beat the softened butter together with the icing sugar until pale and smooth. Add the Pisco, Angostura Bitters and lime zest and stir well. Transfer to a piping bag and store in a cool place until needed.

To make the espresso martini filling, melt the dark chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave). Remove from the heat and mix in the double cream, vodka and Kahlúa. Leave to cool for 5 mins. Transfer to a piping bag and store in a cool place until needed.

For the Cosmopolitan filling, Put the dried cranberries in a bowl with the orange liqueur and leave to soak for 15 mins. Beat the butter with the icing sugar, then stir in the cranberries and liqueur, bit by bit. Mix in the lime zest and cranberry jelly. Transfer to a piping bag and store in a cool place until needed.

Once all the chocolate has set in the moulds, pipe the Pisco sour filling into the green/white chocolate shells, the espresso martini filling into the espresso chocolate shells (saving a bit for sticking the beans on later) and the Cosmopolitan filling into the dark chocolate shells. Leave 2mm of space at the top of each one.

Bring the pan(s) of water back to simmering, then set the reserved bowls of chocolate over to melt them again if they have set. Use this remaining chocolate to fill up the moulds and seal in the filling. Try to fill the moulds level or just under – if they go over, they won’t sit flat when the chocolates are turned out.

Leave your truffles somewhere cool to set completely for at least 2 hrs (ideally overnight). If you put them in the fridge they will set more quickly, but they will lose their shine.

Once set completely, pop the chocolates out of the moulds carefully. Add a brush stroke of gold to the Cosmopolitan truffles using your brush pen. Stick a chocolate- coated coffee bean on each of the espresso martini truffles using a bit of the filling. Arrange in a box lined with baking parchment and tissue paper. Will keep in a cool place for up to 1 week.

Serve this vividly coloured chutney with cheeses and cold meats - great to give as a gift, too

Spiced beetroot & orange chutney

1½ kg raw beetroot, trimmed, peeled and diced (wear gloves!)

onions, chopped

apples,

oranges

tbsp mustard seeds

coriander seed

cloves

red wine vinegar

golden granulated sugar

In a preserving pan or your largest saucepan, mix together all the ingredients well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender.

While the chutney is cooking, prepare your jars by running through a short hot wash in your dishwasher. Or wash thoroughly by hand, then put in a hot oven to sterilise for 10-15 mins. Once the chutney is ready, let it settle for 10 mins, then carefully spoon into the jars and seal while still hot. You can eat it straight away but it will be even better after a month. Will keep for up to 6 months in a cool dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and eat within 2 months.

This Friendship Tea Recipe is an instant spiced tea with a fruity flavor thanks to Tang and lemonade mix. Cinnamon and cloves add to the warm flavor.

Friendship Tea Recipe

instant tea

Tang

lemonade drink mix (CountryTime)

Mix together in a bowl. If you&#39;d like, you can run the mix through a food processor to make it finer, but with powders we use I don&#39;t find it necessary.

Top 6 christmas gift recipes from across the web

The most viewed christmas gift recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Christmas berry jam recipe

The Best Holiday Cookie Box

Cocktail truffle selection

Spiced beetroot & orange chutney

Friendship Tea Recipe

Top 6 christmas gift recipes from across the web

The most viewed christmas gift recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Christmas berry jam recipe

The Best Holiday Cookie Box

Cocktail truffle selection

Spiced beetroot & orange chutney

Friendship Tea Recipe

The most viewed christmas gift recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine