I know everyone’s supposed to be super enthusiastic about Christmas, not sure if it reflects my age but I’m finding the relentless excess hype pretty unbearable. So much pressure to buy everyone a gift and then the desperation to find something, anything to fit the bill.
Occasionally, one does find the perfect present, but it takes time and lots of thought, something many of us don’t have much of these days.
If truth be known, many presents are useless and may well be allocated to the regifting drawer, yet one really does want it to be a true token of friendship and love. So, this year, how about we have fun, and it can be fun making some edible presents that folks will really be thrilled to get. Something that will save them time, something they might not get around to making themselves, something they will really enjoy and that will remind them of you when they eat or drink it.
So, this week, a few suggestions for the many edible treats one could choose. When I say treats, they don’t necessarily need to be sweet. Last Christmas, some busy young friends were absolutely thrilled to get a little selection of frozen homemade soups, a loaf of brown yeast bread and a stick of cultured Jersey butter.
Wouldn’t you too be delighted to get a pot of delicious fish and shellfish chowder or a fish pie with a mashed potato topping or a chunky chicken and ham pie with a puff pastry crust?
It could be a few sweet sauces to drizzle over an ice cream or pancakes for an instant pudding.
Kumquats will be in season, so how about some kumquat marmalade, the most delicious of all things to slather on your breakfast toast (see Examiner 14th November 2020).
As some foods become progressively less tasty, condiments of all kinds, spicy, fiery or just plain tasty become ‘must have’s’ in your pantry so a little hamper of Christmas relishes and sweet and savoury jams become even more essential.
Every bite will remind your friend of the meaningful present that you really put your heart into. Could be just a little cellophane pack of their favourite ‘cookies’ and now I’m back to my favourite theme…
Gather the family around for ‘Bake Up Sunday’, if they don’t seem enthusiastic about cooking, maybe they can wrap, make pretty labels, tie bows, maybe make packs of mulled wine spices. I’m on the lookout for all kinds of recycled jars, pots and baskets during the year in charity shops. I pick up all manner of glass, pottery, and clay containers and save them for Christmas. They can be made super cool even with newspaper or parchment lids and fancy twine, ribbon or tinsel and a sprig of rosemary or holly.
Here are some suggestions, the Chocolate Florentines come from Jane Lovett’s ‘The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook’, a new book to look out for published by Headline Publishing Group and there are lots and lots of ideas in my ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’ published by Gill Books which some of you may already have.
Christmas Granola
Deliciously toasted grains, dried fruit and crunchy nuts, perfect for breakfasts over the holiday season. Enjoy with natural yoghurt and lots of grated Irish apple…
Serves 20 people approximately
125g butter or coconut oil
175ml honey
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
500g oatmeal
110g sunflower seeds
150g slivered almonds
110g pumpkin seeds
50g barley flakes
50g rye flakes
50g coconut flakes
50g dried apricots or a mixture of dates and apricots, chopped
50g dried cranberries or dried cherries
50g juicy sultanas
Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.
Melt the butter or oil in a saucepan over a low heat, stir in the honey and vanilla extract. Mix all the remaining ingredients, except the dried fruit and coconut flakes, in a large mixing bowl, add the liquid and stir well until everything is evenly coated. Spread over 3 large baking trays and toast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the grains are crisp and very lightly browned. Stir occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking to the trays. Add the coconut flakes and continue to cook for a further 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven, and when cool transfer to a large bowl. Add the dried fruit and mix.
Fill into Kilner jars and zhuzh up with ribbons and labels and a sprig of holly or rosemary – keeps for up to 1 month.
Chilli Salt
A perfect pressie for a foodie friend who likes to add a little extra oomph to everything – carry it in your handbag to perk up bland dishes…
110g flaky sea salt
2 tbsp crushed dried chilli pepper (Jalapeno or Habanero)
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Mix the salt and chilli together and whizz for a couple of seconds in a food processor or a molcajete with a pestle and mortar.
Fill into little airtight glass
containers.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Once again, salted caramel sauce is irresistible drizzled over crêpes, ice cream or bananas and keeps for weeks in a jar in the fridge.
Makes 600ml (3x 200g jars)
450g caster sugar
125g unsalted whole butter (diced)
250ml double cream
10g Achill or Dingle sea salt (literally flower of the salt, the very mineral and not too salty top layer) or Maldon Sea salt.
Put the caster sugar into a large pan over a medium heat and stir continuously until it turns into a rich caramel. You need to do this by eye but aim for a dark mahogany colour. If it is too light, the butter and cream will dilute any caramel flavour, and it will lack that slightly burnt sugar taste that makes this sauce so good.
When you are happy with the caramel, very carefully whisk in the cream to stop the cooking. Be really careful not to do it too quickly as the caramel has a tendency to spit. When you have whisked in the cream, add the butter bit by bit until it’s all incorporated and you have a smooth rich caramel.
Allow to cool to 37°C and then stir in the sea salt and mix so you get an even distribution. It is very important to allow the caramel to cool before doing this so that the salt crystals do not dissolve, and you then get that lovely crunch.
Homemade Cheese Crackers
Make lots of these, store in an airtight box or freeze. Some can be gifted alongside a beautiful ripe cheese, or maybe part of an artisan cheese and charcuterie board over Christmas.
Makes 20-25 biscuits
225g plain white flour or a mixture of brown wholemeal and white flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
25g butter
1 tbsp cream
water as needed, 5 tbsp approx.
Put the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter and moisten with the cream and enough water to make a firm dough.
Roll out very thinly to one sixteenth of an inch approx. Prick with a fork. Cut into 9cm squares with a pastry wheel. Bake at 150˚C/Gas Mark 2 for 30 minutes approx. or until lightly browned and quite crisp. Cool on a wire rack. Store in a tight-fitting tin box or fill into jars as a gift.
Chocolate Florentines
(From Jane Lovett’s The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook published by Headline Publishing Group)
No introduction needed really, other than to say these are far easier than you may think and make lovely (and impressive!) presents – who doesn’t love a florentine?
Makes about 26 (depending on size)
Ingredients
50g butter
60g demerara sugar
60g flaked almonds
30g unsalted, shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 50g dried (pitted) dates or figs, roughly chopped 50g dried cherries or cranberries (or a mixture of the two), roughly chopped
50g mixed candied peel
1 piece of stem ginger in syrup, drained and chopped (optional)
15g plain flour
1 tbsp double cream
150-200g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
Get Ahead
•Store florentines in an airtight container at room temp or in fridge for up to 1 month or more. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Hints and Tips
•Substitute any other nuts or dried fruit you may prefer or have to hand, except for the flaked almonds.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/Gas Mark 4.
Line two baking sheets with baking parchment or silicone paper.
Melt the butter and demerara sugar together in a pan on a gentle heat. Set aside.
Mix all the nuts, fruit, candied peel and stem ginger (if using) together in a mixing bowl, then add the flour and stir to coat. Stir in the cream into the butter mixture, then pour this over the dry ingredient and mix well to combine.
Dot heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets, leaving a little space for spreading during cooking. Flatten each one with the back of a teaspoon, trying to avoid holes as best you can, then bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Leave on the baking sheets for 3-5 minutes or until firmed up, then transfer to a wire rack using a palette knife and leave to cool. Repeat to make the remainder, if necessary.
Melt the chocolate in a small, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in a microwave on high in 30-second bursts. Put a sheet of baking parchment or silicone paper under the wire rack to catch any drips of chocolate. When cold, turn the florentines over with their flat underside now uppermost.
With a teaspoon, a small palette knife or brush, spread a layer of melted chocolate over each florentine and leave until the chocolate is cold and set hard, around an hour or so, or chill. If you like, just before the chocolate fully sets, mark a swirly, wavy pattern with a fork. (Scrape up the excess dripped chocolate and use for something else).
Arrange the florentines overlapping on a plate, alternating the chocolate and fruit and nut sides uppermost, or store in an airtight container until required. A light dusting of icing sugar just before serving looks pretty too.
