Christmas Hampers |
I initially started making Christmas presents and hampers many years ago mainly due to lack of money. However, they were always so well received, that I have continued making them ever since. It has become part of a Christmas tradition now with some of my closest friends! One friend even came down from Edinburgh to collect in person (I normally sent it in the post)! So, included in my hampers this year were:
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| Glittering Strawberry Jam with Champagne |
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| I made a big batch of jam using a recipe I found on the internet. I put it in little jars (36 in all!). Hopefully this year I will be able to use strawberries grown on my allotment. |
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| Here's the finished product (label made by Rosalie). |
| Rose & Pistachio Turkish Delight |
| I used a recipe from my, 'Sweets Made Simple' cookbook, but it is available for free on the internet. It took a couple of go's to get it right, and it was several hours of my life that I will never get back! |
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| Getting the sugar mixture up to temperature... | Add the cornflour part. | Stir for an hour until it turns to "blubber"! |
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| The finished product, tasted delicious! |
| Coconut Ice |
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| I made a couple of batches of coconut ice, with another recipe I found on the internet. |
| Peppermint Creams |
| I made several batches of Peppermint Creams, including one I made with Rosalie. She took her boxes of 'Pepmoon Creams' to school and gave them to her teachers for Christmas presents. Here's Jamie Oliver's recipe. |
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| Other items... |
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| Lemon Sherbet Dib Dab & Lemon Toffee Lolly came from another recipe from my, 'Sweets Made Simple' cookbook, recipe also available free on the internet. | I had some homemade marzipan left over from my Christmas cakes (which I forgot to take photo's of), so I got some dates and stuffed them with the surplus. Really delicious & looked so nice wrapped up with the parchment paper and coloured string. This is one of Delia's and recipe available for free in the internet. |
| Homemade Gift Boxes |
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I made origami gift box stacks out of thin card to put my sweeties in. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube. |
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| Labels on the bottom of the stack. | All wrapped up in cellophane, tied with a ribbon. |
| Other Packaging |
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| Smaller gifts were packaged up in a little, brown paper bag, decorated with a wooden peg, jingle bell and Christmas card. | Slightly bigger hampers were packed up in vintage, cardboard suitcases. |
| Christmas Bauble & Tree Teddy |
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| I always like to make a Christmas decoration to go in my hampers. I loved sewing the teddies and baubles this year! |
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