FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
Made with
Christmas hampers have become a staple gift in recent years but do you struggle to think of yummy things to fill them with? Here’s some quick and easy foodie ideas that are sure to delight this festive season.
love Bake with the kids
Easy Peasy Crispy
Christmas Puds
Kids will love this festive take on a classic cereal chocolate treat that is easy to make and even easier to devour in seconds. Even Santa would appreciate one of these with a glass of milk on his Christmas Eve visit.
INGREDIENTS: • 50g unsalted butter • 180g marshmallows • 100g crispy rice cereals • 200g milk chocolate • 100g white chocolate
• Holly leaf decorations, available from most supermarkets
METHOD:
Melt the butter and chocolate in a pan.
Add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Add in the cereals. Take off the heat and stir well. Once cooled slightly, spoon a tablespoon of mixture out into your hands and roll it into a ball. Place on a lined baking tray and chill for 15 minutes.
Melt the white chocolate and drizzle or pipe a small amount on top of each ball and top with a holly leaf icing decoration. Firm up in the fridge for a further 15 minutes.
Candy Cane Fudge
Fudge is one of the easiest homemade goodies to try and takes just a handful of ingredients and minutes to make. This peppermint treat will make great use of those candy canes hanging from the tree. But why not substitute the mint flavours for half a teaspoon each of dried ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg for a gingerbread flavour or three tablespoons of jarred mincemeat for a mince pie version?
INGREDIENTS: • 600g white chocolate chips • 397g can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp salt • 1 tsp peppermint extract • 12 candy canes, crushed
METHOD: Line an 8 or 9-inch square
pan with baking parchment and set aside.
Combine white chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and salt in a medium bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the peppermint extract and three quarters of the crushed candy canes. Pour the fudge into the
prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with remaining crushed candy canes. Refrigerate for 2 hours until set and divide evenly into generous squares.
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aroundtownmagazine.co.uk Mulled
Cranberry and Red Onion Chutney
This warming, spicy chutney is the epitome of festive flavours and will be the perfect accompaniment for the endless cheese boards that make an appearance at Christmas.
Makes 5 250ml jars.
INGREDIENTS: • Half bottle mulled wine • 700g light muscovado sugar cinnamon sticks • 1 star anise
• Half tsp ground allspice • Zest and juice of 4 large oranges (about 350ml) • 900g cranberries
• 2 red onions, finely chopped • 850ml red wine vinegar • 2 tsp salt
METHOD:
Make a sugar syrup by dissolving half the sugar in the mulled wine. Increase the heat and bubble for 5 minutes until reduced and syrupy. Transfer to a large heavy-based saucepan or preserving pan.
Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours or until you can draw a wooden spoon across the surface and leave a trail that doesn’t fill up with vinegar. If you have a thermometer it should reach 104°C. (You will need to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t boil over). Don’t let it get too thick as it will thicken on cooling.
Once the chutney is ready, ladle into warm sterilised jars and discard the spices. Cover with wax discs, seal with lids, cool and label.
Christmas Pudding Vodka
A special seasonal tipple made with lots of love. Infusing your own spirits is surprisingly easy – let the ingredients do it for themselves. However, for the fullest flavour, you will need to infuse for around three days so one to make in advance.
INGREDIENTS: • 300g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, currants, raisins)
• 75g caster sugar • 2 cinnamon sticks • 2 tsp ground mixed spice • 6 cloves • Half whole nutmeg, finely grated • Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 orange
• 750ml bottle good quality vodka
METHOD:
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and pour over the vodka. Cover tightly with cling film.
Place in the fridge and leave for 3 days, stirring once each day.
Line a sieve with a double layer of fine muslin and place over a large, clean jug. Pour the dried fruit and vodka mixture into the sieve and allow to drip through into the jug. Re-bottle in a sterilised bottle.
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