The silly season is here again. {Seriously where has this year gone?}

It’s the time of year where we rack our brains of what gift to get people. And silently sweat about how much money it’s going to cost.

Sometimes it’s hard to draw the line as to who to buy for, especially when it comes to people that you spend significant amounts of time with.  For example whilst in the workplace.  I mean you may not hang out with your colleagues on the weekend, but they’ve been there for the ups and downs of workplace politics, grabbed you a sandwich when you’re flat out or shared and office space next to you for the whole year.

So you want to let them know you appreciate them, but don’t really want to spend too much money.  And lets be honest, even if there is a secret Santa arrangement there’s still always someone who buys more than expected.

After TEN years of working in the corporate world {umm.wow that feels like a lifetime} I thought I would share how I deal with the gift dilemma.

For not much money, and very little time, you can whip up homemade treats guaranteed to wow!

These bite-sized treats are great showcased in  jars, or wrapped in cello and tied with ribbon. Make in bulk, and keep some on hand for unexpected visitors or even neighbours.

 

Mini Christmas Puddings

Mini Christmas puddings are so simple to make, look delicious and are a perfect bite-sized treat.  I’ve been making these for well over 15 years {following in the footsteps of my Mumma who started the tradition}.  Not only are they quick to put together, they are cheap to make and don’t require cooking.  Win win!

Ingredients:

• 1 800g premade fruit cake
• 2 tablespoons of brandy
• 100g white chocolate
• 100g milk chocolate (optional)
• 5 Red raspberries
• 10 mint leaves or green sugared jubes

Method:
Firstly, to save on the mess pop on some disposable gloves.
In a large mixing bowl, break fruit cake into crumbs with your hands, add brandy and mix together.
As an optional extra, I like to add 100grams of melted milk chocolate.

Using your hands roll a tablespoon of the mixture into a firm ball and place on a tray covered with baking paper. Once completed pop the balls into the fridge.

Cut raspberries into small pieces and slice the mint leaves into small strips.  I tend to just use the outside sugared areas as they look the best.

In a small bowl, melt the white chocolate and using a teaspoon drizzle a small amount over each ball.  Press the red raspberry pieces in the middle of the chocolate and two green ‘leaves’ either side.

I recommend decorating a couple at a time as the chocolate can set quickly.  {and if it does, just add a little bit more melted chocolate on top so you can get the holly to stick}

Notes:
If you don’t have any brandy,  Cointreau, rum and baileys works well too.
Don’t want the alcohol content? You can burn off the alcohol by heating or use brandy essence.
Store in the fridge in sealed container

White Christmas

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of rice bubbles
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup milk powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup of chopped glacier cherries
• ½ cup sultanas
• ½ cup chopped apricots
• 225g copha

 Method:
Line a slice tin with baking paper and set aside.

Melt copha and set aside to cool

Place the rice bubbles, coconut, chopped fruit, icing sugar and milk powder into a large bowl and mix together.  Pour the melted copha (which is vegetable shortening) over the mixture and combine.

Using a large metal spoon, press the mixture into the slice tin and press it down firmly..

Place the tray into the fridge to set. I often decorate the top by sprinkling coconut over the top or even some melted white chocolate.

Cut into squares and enjoy!
{I initially made these using the peanut butter cookie recipe but found that the cookie cracks too much and isn’t a suitable face for the reindeer cookies as seen below}

 

Soft Centred Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180degrees

Combine the peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.

In a separate mixing bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix well to form the dough.

Roll into balls roughly the size of ping pong balls. As an optional extra you can roll the dough in sugar before baking.  I prefer not to but they do look lovely when sugared.

Place balls onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 10-15minutes.
Cool on wire rack and enjoy!

 

Reindeer Cookies

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla with a mixer until pale and creamy. Add the egg to the mixture.
Sift the flour and baking powder into mixture. Add milk and stir until just combined.

Using two teaspoons of the mixture, roll dough into balls and place on baking trays lined with baking paper.  Press down so the balls flatten and pinch the bottom to make a chin like feature.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden.   When they are ready this is where it can get tricky.

Lift the baking paper with the cookies onto the wire racks and add your M&M’s for the eyes and nose to each cookie.

At the top of the cookie push the chocolate coated pretzels into the cookies at a 45 degree angle so they look like antlers.  It’s a fiddly process and it takes a couple of go’s to get it right.  The chocolate may melt

Let the cookies cool before storing or if you live in a hot environment pop them into the fridge to cool down.  The quicker the choc antlers set the better.

Any questions?  What’s your fav holiday treat?