Homemade Christmas Gifts

Homemade Edible Gifts

Create wonderful personal presents for friends and family this christmas with these tempting sweet edible gift recipes.

Wrap your edible treats in festive boxes. Beautifully wrapped food made with care and affection makes a lovely gift. The food itself doesn't need to be extravagant and expensive - simple recipes made with fresh, natural ingredients work best. Make your homemade christmas gifts extra special by finding pretty wrappings and trimmings for the perfect giftwrap.

Chocolate Gingerbread

You will need
200g muscovado sugar
100g unsalted butter
250g golden syrup
400g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 egg lightly beaten
150ml milk

For the icing
150g powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
50g softened butter
100g finely chopped nuts

Put the sugar, butter and golden syrup into a large saucepan. Heat gently over a low heat, stirring continously until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside to cool.

Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a bowl. Pour the cooled syrup over the dry ingredients and add the egg and milk. Stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 23cm square cake tin and bake in a preheated oven at 150 degrees C for about 1 1/2 hours. Check with a skewer inserted into the centre to make sure it is cooked. Let cool in the tin.

To make the icing, put the powdered sugar, cocoa and softened butter into a bowl and mix well. Gradually add a little hot water mixing until the icing is a spreadable consistency. Spread over the cake top and swirl gently with a fork. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and the when the icing is set, cut into squares.

Place your gingerbread squares in a pretty festive box tied with ribbon. If you want a more individual look choose unusual giftwrap. Try brown paper or muslin tied with twine, or coloured tissue paper or sheer fabric held with ribbon. Alternatively place your treats in distinctively shaped tins, glass trinket boxes or in containers that you have covered with fabric.

Have you ever thought of creating your own handmade christmas cards? If so you could include this recipe with the card.