Make your own Christmas Prezzies!

RosyLily

I love that fudge!! So fricking easy and delish! I put in chopped hazelnuts instead...some people are fond of pistachios around here.:rolleyes: Haven't made it in a while actually, might have to rectify that over the weekend!:D

Toto Wolfcastle

I'm thinking of making that chocolate pistachio fudge. Does it set well or is it more gooey?

messy tessy

Princess Peach wrote: »

I made this lovely chocolate pistachio fudge last year

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-pistachio-fudge-96

What I learned is it's worth spending the extra €1 or €2 to get the de-shelled nuts :pac:

I'm going to make this also! Thanks for the tip on de-shelled pistachios - 150g is a lot alright! :P

What did you put this into? I want to get some nice but cheap boxes, but have yet to come across any. Going to check Tiger after work.

catho_monster

For anyone who is a fan of the Nigella chilli jam, but thinks it could do with tweaking - check this recipe out.

It doesn't use any red peppers (and so, is cheaper) - and depends on apples for their pectin-thickening-qualities (and so, is actually thick): http://www.alifeofgeekery.co.uk/2013/09/sweet-sticky-chilli-jam.html

Just made my first batch this afternoon. Proper impressed. Looks a gorgeous vibrant red colour and the flecks of chilli are evenly dispersed.

Also, I know come December time there's a general made frenzy for the wicker baskets. This year I discovered that it's really easy to weave baskets with newspaper. I happen to have a billion unused till-rolls lying around that are calling out to be put to some creative use, so that'll be my paper of choice. If anyone's also that way inclined, here's some sample instructions:
http://www.home-dzine.co.za/crafts/craft-storage-baskets.htm

Sofiztikated

Princess Peach wrote: »

I made this lovely chocolate pistachio fudge last year

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-pistachio-fudge-96

What I learned is it's worth spending the extra €1 or €2 to get the de-shelled nuts :pac:

Have some of this setting now.

Switched out the pistachios for whatever chopped nuts I had in the press, which were hazelbuts, peanuts, walnuts and almonds, and chucked in some dried cranberries for good measure.

I used the 74% chocolate that can be found in Lidl.

Toto Wolfcastle

I just saw an ad for the Irish Independent on Saturday and it has recipes for edible gifts in it if anyone is interested.

Oranage2

That Nigella fudge recipe, if I wanted to use Bailey's would I Sub out half the condensed milk?

Sofiztikated

Oranage2 wrote: »

That Nigella fudge recipe, if I wanted to use Bailey's would I Sub out half the condensed milk?

Hmmm. I'd say you could.

I was thinking of adding a slug of brandy to it, because, well, because, eeehhh, brandy makes a lot of things taste better.

RosyLily

As my Dad says, brandy cures everything!

Going to try Nigella's vanilla fudge recipe. Bought new Christmas cookie cutters, might give them a go as well!

Faith

Oranage2 wrote: »

That Nigella fudge recipe, if I wanted to use Bailey's would I Sub out half the condensed milk?

No, because then you'd lose half the sugar from the condensed milk which is necessary. I haven't looked at the recipe, but baking is all about ratios. You can't just leave out half of one thing and replace it with something completely different. Look for other recipes for baileys fudge and see how they compare. Most likely, you'd just add a small dash.

Sofiztikated

http://healingtomato.com/blog/2014/03/16/fudge-recipe-with-baileys-irish-cream/

Ignoring the GREEN GREEN GREEN PATRICKS DAY GREEN malarky, says there 1/2 can condensed to 50ml of baileys. (Although 1x 36 ounce of chocolate chips? Either I'm missing something, or that's a TON of chocolate.

Faith

Sofiztikated wrote: »

http://healingtomato.com/blog/2014/03/16/fudge-recipe-with-baileys-irish-cream/

Ignoring the GREEN GREEN GREEN PATRICKS DAY GREEN malarky, says there 1/2 can condensed to 50ml of baileys. (Although 1x 36 ounce of chocolate chips? Either I'm missing something, or that's a TON of chocolate.

Apples and oranges. Your recipe starts with half a can of condensed milk and adds 50ml baileys. The nigella recipe starts with a full can of condensed milk, and the other ingredients are to that scale. You can't just leave out half of it and replace it with something else. It would probably work if Oranage left out 50ml of condensed milk and added 50ml of baileys, or just added an extra 50ml baileys to the complete recipe, but half a can is a huge amount.

Sofiztikated

Faith wrote: »

Apples and oranges. Your recipe starts with half a can of condensed milk and adds 50ml baileys. The nigella recipe starts with a full can of condensed milk, and the other ingredients are to that scale. You can't just leave out half of it and replace it with something else. It would probably work if Oranage left out 50ml of condensed milk and added 50ml of baileys, or just added an extra 50ml baileys to the complete recipe, but half a can is a huge amount.

Sorry, I was agreeing with you, bit tired when I was posting.

So yeah, leave out a little, add in a little.

Faith

Oh sorry, I see that now . It was early morning here when I read your post and my brain obviously didn't engage properly!

Oranage2

I tried making this fudge, chocolate is a bit expensive here so I bought the cheapest one, little did I know it had bits of biscuits in it, after it was done it's still a little to liquidy, was wondering can you re melt in and add more chocolate?

Tastes amazing just not the right consistency that I want.

Teyla Emmagan

Have 4 plum puddings waiting to go on in the morning. 5 hours steaming each! Got cute red bowls and lids for them so they should make nice presents. By evening the condensation will be pouring off the walls of the house! Also made two batches of mustard yesterday and a load of jam so hampering underway.

I love the newspaper wicker baskets but they seem like a lot of work!

Teyla Emmagan

I promised ages ago to post my mincemeat recipe. I make this every year as presents and it's always a massive hit. All you need is one jar, two rolls of jus roll shortcrust and voila - 12 perfect mince pies!

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.

2 cooking apples, e.g. Bramley Seedling
2 organic lemons
450g (1lb) beef suet
pinch of salt
110g (4oz) mixed peel (preferably homemade)
2 tablespoons Séville orange marmelade
225g (8oz) currants
450g (1lb) sultanas
225g (8oz) raisins
900g (2lbs) Barbados sugar (moist, soft, dark-brown)
62ml (2 1/2fl oz) Irish whiskey

Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, for 30 minutes approx. Allow to cool. When they are soft, remove the skin and mash the flesh into pulp. Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice and stir into the pulp. Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly. Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using. This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool, airy place.

messy tessy

Some very nice ideas on this site:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/feature/christmas-gifts

Will be trying the chocolate hazelnut truffles

tfak85

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-fudge?bffbfood

A collection of fudge recipes from Buzzfeed, I think I'm going to have to make the pecan and buttermilk fudge - sounds delicious!

messy tessy

tfak85 wrote: »

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-fudge?bffbfood

A collection of fudge recipes from Buzzfeed, I think I'm going to have to make the pecan and buttermilk fudge - sounds delicious!

They all sound AMAZING

dee_mc

tfak85 wrote: »

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-fudge?bffbfood

A collection of fudge recipes from Buzzfeed, I think I'm going to have to make the pecan and buttermilk fudge - sounds delicious!

Why did I open that?! Seriously. Now I want 21 kinds of fudge

hootietootie

tfak85 wrote: »

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-fudge?bffbfood

A collection of fudge recipes from Buzzfeed, I think I'm going to have to make the pecan and buttermilk fudge - sounds delicious!

3 of us at work are drawing numbers tomorrow, to see which 7 we will make each

uberalex

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

Makes 3.2 kilos approx. Makes 8-9 pots.
.

This looks fabulous, thank you. Quick question: is it one pot per dozen pies? It's a lot of mince and I wonder will I have time before Christmas for it to mature.

Tarzana2

Princess Peach wrote: »

What I learned is it's worth spending the extra €1 or €2 to get the de-shelled nuts :pac:

As someone who happily chomped through a load of de-shelled pistachios last night, I thoroughly agree!

Teyla Emmagan

uberalex wrote: »

This looks fabulous, thank you. Quick question: is it one pot per dozen pies? It's a lot of mince and I wonder will I have time before Christmas for it to mature.

Yes, one pot per dozen. I have notes done up to pop in with mine with the baking instructions and equipment list on them (equipment - 2 sheets of defrosted Jus Roll short crust, some egg wash and a bun tray ). I reckon if you made it now it would be fine by Christmas.

Amazingfun

tfak85 wrote: »

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryankincaid/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-fudge?bffbfood

A collection of fudge recipes from Buzzfeed, I think I'm going to have to make the pecan and buttermilk fudge - sounds delicious!

I bought some perfect tins to house these babies today (yay euro-shop) ....but I don't have a "double boiler" to make some of them (Oreo fudge is number one on my list!). Any suggestions on where I might find one? IKEA has a brilliant steel pot insert they sell for 4.00 but not here in the Dublin location

Sofiztikated

If anyone is looking for jars, Mr Price have a some, you know the jars that can stand up and at 45 degree angle, sweetie jars. Picked up a couple today. (broke one the second I got home, the glass is fragile enough, slight skip across a tiled floor ended in smash) Only €1.49 though. Naff neon coloured screw lids though.

the beer revolu

Amazingfun wrote: »

I bought some perfect tins to house these babies today (yay euro-shop) ....but I don't have a "double boiler" to make some of them (Oreo fudge is number one on my list!). Any suggestions on where I might find one? IKEA has a brilliant steel pot insert they sell for 4.00 but not here in the Dublin location

Just use a bowl over a pot of water.

MissFlitworth

the beer revolu wrote: »

Just use a bowl over a pot of water.

Yup, I've only ever used a pyrex bowl over a pot of water. Never owned an actual double boiler

Amazingfun

Ah ok ...never made anything like this before so thought it was a deal-breaker. Thanks.