Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• 225g/8 oz butter
• 300g/10 oz flour
• 110g/4 oz icing sugar
• 4 beaten eggs
• 225g/8 oz sugar
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• Sieved icing sugar

Method:

1. Heat oven to and bake at 162°C / 325°F / Gas mark 3.
2. Blend butter, flour and icing sugar.  The mixture will start to resemble breadcrumbs.  Squeeze together into a soft dough with fingers then pat into ungreased 13x9x2-inch pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Allow to cool.
4. For the filling, blend together eggs, sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, and lemon peel.
5. Pour over first layer.
6. Return to oven and bake at 162°C / 325°F / Gas mark 3 for 20 minutes.
7. Loosen around edges, cut into bars and sift icing sugar over the top while warm.

Truffles

This one is really easy to do with young children too.

Ingredients:

• 230g of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (high quality, 62% cocao content or higher), well chopped into small pieces
• 120mls  heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon / 5ml  of vanilla extract
• Other flavours that can be used Almond essence / Orange essence / Rum Essence  / Mint Essence.

• Cocoa powder or (Drinking Chocolate Powder if sweeter coating required )
• Finely chopped walnuts
• Finely chopped almonds or ground almond

Method:

1. In a small, heavy saucepan bring the heavy whipping cream to a simmer (this may take a while, be sure to stir and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula every few minutes).
2. Place the chocolate in a separate bowl. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add the vanilla, and allow to stand for a few minutes then stir until smooth. (This chocolate base is called ganache)
3. Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator for two hours. Remove and with a teaspoon roll out balls of the ganache. Roll in your hands quickly (as it will melt from the heat of your hands) and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator overnight
4. Roll in cocoa powder or chopped nuts and serve, or place back in the refrigerator until needed.
5. Makes 30-40 chocolate truffles.
6. Serve in sweet paper.

Shortbread

Ingredients:

• 125g/4oz butter
• 55g/2oz caster sugar
• 180g/6oz plain flour

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until pale
3. Stir in the flour to get a smooth dough.  Turn out onto a work surface and roll out.
4. Cut into rectangles and prick with a fork, or roll into little balls and press thumb onto each ball to flatten to make shortbread rounds.Can also use festive-shaped cookie cutters.
5. Sprinkle with a little caster sugar.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

 Flavoured Oils

This is a very popular present for foody friends and relatives, and so easy to make. Try and find interesting shaped bottles.

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Rosemary, tarragon, chillies, tarragon, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian herbs
• Empty bottles
• Labels

Method:

1. Take labels off tall empty bottles, and run through dishwasher to ensure clean
2. Insert flavouring into the bottle, e.g. long sprigs of rosemary or tarragon, or chillies (go for a mix of green and red ones), or garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and Italian herbs.
3. Use a funnel to fill with olive oil and seal bottle with a cork.  Don’t leave much air between the oil and the cork.
4. Make decorative labels

Related : Alternatively, see our recipes Chocolate Tree Decorations & Christmas Star Biscuits
Finish your presents off with some Homemade Christmas Tags
Also, this is a good website for labels, printables – most of them free to download.

Have you made any of these, or do you have ideas for any Christmas Food Gifts?
Share them here in the comments!

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