Feeling Festively Creative

Feeling festively creative? Why not try some easy edible Christmas gifts to give to family and friends.

Coconut Ice Squares

Ingredients

397g/14oz tin condensed milk

325g/11½oz icing sugar, sifted

350g/12oz desiccated coconut

pink food colouring paste

Method

  1. Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8in square baking tin with baking paper.
  2. Combine the condensed milk and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Add the desiccated coconut and mix again until thoroughly combined. Weigh the mixture and divide in half. Spoon one half into the prepared tin and spread level using the back of a spoon. Press into a smooth, even layer.
  3. Add a tiny amount of pink food colouring paste to the remaining mixture in the bowl and mix again until evenly coloured. Press this pink mixture over the white coconut ice in a smooth layer. Cover and leave to firm up overnight.
  4. The next day, turn the mixture out onto a chopping board and cut into 40 small squares

Microwave Bourbon Biscuit Fudge

Ingredients

397g tin condensed milk

500g/1lb 2oz white chocolate, broken into pieces

20 bourbon cream biscuits, broken into pieces

Method

  1. Line a 20cm/8in square cake tin with a sheet of baking paper.
  2. Tip the condensed milk into a large microwavable bowl. Add the chocolate and microwave on high for 4 minutes, stirring every minute until smooth.
  3. Stir in most of the broken biscuits then tip into the tin, levelling off with the back of a spoon. Crumble the remaining biscuits over the top.
  4. Leave to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours; cut into 36 small cubes.

 

Ginger Chocolate Oat Bars

Ingredients

100g/3½oz butter

100g/3½oz jumbo oats

100g/3½oz rolled oats

450g/1lb dark chocolate, (72%)

150ml/5fl oz double cream

150g/5½oz dried cranberries

150g/5½oz dried cherries

150g/5½oz crystallised ginger, chopped

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add both types of oats and cook for three minutes. Transfer to an oven dish that will fit in your fridge.
  2. Place a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add the chocolate and cream to the bowl and leave to melt for 15 minutes without stirring. 3. Add the cranberries, cherries and ginger to the oats and stir.
  3. When the chocolate has fully melted, give it a little stir and then pour over the oats and fruit. Fold the chocolate in using a spoon and then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  4. When set, break into pieces by hand and serve.

 

Popcorn Bars

Ingredients

200g/7oz dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids),

broken into pieces

50g/1¾oz puffed rice cereal

40g/1½oz salted popcorn

50g/1¾oz dried cranberries, halved

50g/1¾oz large marshmallows, quartered

Method

  1. Line a 20cm/8in square baking tin with two layers of cling film.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
  3. Put the rice cereal, popcorn, cranberries and marshmallows into a bowl and mix well.
  4. While the chocolate is still warm, quickly pour it onto the cereal mixture and stir with a spatula until everything is coated.
  5. Transfer the mixture to the lined baking tin and press down well. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 2 hours.

Turn out onto a board and cut into 20 squares

Christmas Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients

250ml/9fl oz whipping cream
225g/8oz dark chocolate
55g/2oz unsalted butter, cubed and left to soften
unsweetened cocoa powder, to dust

Method

1. Chop the chocolate roughly. Pulse in the food
processor until it’s the consistency of
breadcrumbs.
2. Boil the cream. Turn on the food processor again
and pour the cream very slowly onto the
chocolate. It is a bit like making mayonnaise and
you should soon have a perfectly smooth
emulsion. If the mixture does split, process for a
couple more minutes and it usually does the trick.
Add the butter, bit by bit and beat until it has
been incorporated. Pour the mixture into a bowl
or tray and leave to cool for about 15 minutes in
the fridge. When it has set to the consistency of
butter icing, it is ready to be piped or spooned
into truffle sized bits.
3. Cool for at least two hours, then finish by rolling
in cocoa powder, coconut or chopped toasted
nuts.