Simple and Tasty Christmas Treats

Purchasing Christmas gifts always appears thrilling to me… until the moment I start contemplating what to buy for everyone. The challenge of choosing the perfect presents, especially for someone you’ve been buying for over the years, is daunting. After a while, repeated gifts like Boots gift sets or cozy Primark pyjamas lose their charm, and it appears as though no effort has been put into selecting them, at least that’s the impression given by recurring items.

This realization made me understand that the effort and thoughtfulness behind the gifts make your loved ones feel cherished, especially when the gift is tailored to their preferences (literally in this case).

Over the years, the tokens of affection that have received the most appreciation from my recipients have been the homemade, edible ones! Hence, I’ve compiled three straightforward examples of homemade edible Christmas gifts and how to create them.

These homemade edible Christmas gifts are a delightful activity to involve children, and they also make an excellent gift idea for teachers from your child, as well as for others whom you might overlook on your Christmas list!

Here are my top three simplest homemade edible Christmas gifts!

1. Christmas Cupcake Boxes

Honestly, who can resist cupcakes?

My suggestion when baking these treats is to first determine for whom you’re making them. If you’re baking for multiple people, it’s simpler to prepare various flavors rather than baking for a single person. For instance, if you need a dozen cupcakes for each of four people, you could make each batch of 12 different: one batch chocolate, one vanilla, another orange, and another lemon. Then, include three of each flavor in every box. Since you’re already committing to four batches, it’s more practical compared to baking just one variety for a single recipient, which is quite laborious for one box. Thus, it’s better to stick to one flavor in such cases.

Additionally, I prefer making a large quantity of buttercream and decorating each cupcake with a piped swirl, as it significantly speeds up the process. To add variety, I use different toppers or sprinkles for each cupcake.

Finally, all that’s left is to place them in a cupcake box, adorn with some Christmas ribbon, and voilà, a perfect gift!

Recipe for a batch of 12 cupcakes:

Cupcakes
5oz caster sugar
5oz butter or margarine
4oz self-raising flour
2 eggs
2 tbsp cocoa powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp lemon extract etc., depending on the desired flavor (optional)

Decoration
14 oz icing sugar
7 oz butter
2 tbsp cocoa powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp lemon extract etc., depending on the desired flavor (optional)
Your choice of toppers or sprinkles

Method
Tip – cupcakes turn out best if the mixture is baked immediately after preparation, so it helps to have everything ready. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees and prepare 12 bun cases in a bun tin.

First, place the butter or margarine and sugar in a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric whisk or a food processor until light and fluffy.
Next, add the eggs and continue to mix until well combined.
Then, add the flour and mix until fully incorporated.
Add your choice of flavoring (if any) and mix thoroughly.
Bake for roughly 20-25 minutes.
Tip – avoid opening the oven door until they are ready to be removed. Use the oven’s glass window to check.
Tip – when you believe they are done, you can open the oven door and press the center of the cupcake tops with your finger. If it leaves an indentation, close the door quickly and bake them longer. If it springs back up, the cupcakes are ready to be taken out of the oven.

2. Truffles

These make fantastic homemade edible Christmas presents and can appear very upscale. For an elegant touch, you can purchase truffle boxes and cases from eBay or Amazon, and wrap the box with ribbon. However, if you’re on a budget, an economical alternative is to buy cellophane truffle bags from eBay or Amazon and simply tie the top with curling ribbon.

Here’s a basic chocolate truffle recipe guaranteed to please everyone. In my experience, a combination of milk and dark chocolate ensures even dark chocolate skeptics enjoy it due to the milk chocolate balancing it out, and vice versa. And if you like both, then you’re in for a treat!

Feel free to add flavoring or liqueur if you believe the recipient will appreciate it!

Ingredients
100g milk chocolate
100g dark chocolate
200ml double cream
A pinch of salt
30g butter
Your choice of coating

Method
First, chop the chocolates into pieces and place them in a bowl over a pan of water on low heat on the hob, along with the butter. Melt slowly while stirring, avoiding overheating or the chocolate sticking to the bowl.
Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.
Once completely melted, pour the double cream into the mixture while carefully whisking by hand.
Once combined, place the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. You can leave it overnight with cling film if preferred.
After 2+ hours, remove the bowl from the fridge and use a teaspoon or a small ice cream scoop to extract small portions of the truffle mixture, placing them on a sheet of greaseproof paper.
Roll each portion into balls using your hands.
Next, roll the truffle balls in your chosen coating – like cocoa powder, hazelnuts, or coconut.
Return them to the fridge until you’re ready to package them.

3. Candy Cane Bark

Not much of a baker? This one’s for you! There’s no intricate decorating or precise oven timing required, just melt some chocolate and sprinkle on some decorations (like chopped candy cane)… yet it’s incredibly effective!

Ingredients
600g chocolate of your choice
20 candy canes (or any other sprinkles/toppings you prefer)

Method
Prepare by lining a standard baking tray with greaseproof paper and chopping your candy canes or prepping any other sprinkles/toppings you’re using, so they’re ready to sprinkle over the melted chocolate.

First, melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl placed over a pan of water on low heat on the hob.
Once fully melted, pour the chocolate into the prepared baking tray, ensuring it’s evenly spread.
Next, sprinkle the chopped candy canes over the melted chocolate.
Chill in the fridge until set, then break or cut into shards before packaging.

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