Looking for some last minute gift ideas? Ideas which won’t clutter your friend’s and family’s home and will be happily received? Here are a few consumable gift ideas from myself, Deb J and Idgy of the North.
Moni’s Lemon Honey (also known as Lemon Curd)
3 eggs
1 Teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Lemon Juice
50 grams butter
 Melt butter in a 2 litre microwave proof container. Add rest of the ingredients and stir. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Allow to cool then pour into hot dry jars. Seal when cool. Note: this recipe won’t work if doubled.
 Idgy’s Whipped Shortbread
1 cup butter (do not use margaine)
½ cup icing sugar
1½ cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour and beat for 10 minutes. Drop from small spoon onto cookie sheet. Decorate with maraschino cherry pieces if you wish. Bake at 350 F for about 10-12 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned. Makes about 3 dozen small cookies. Note: This recipe doubles well.
Deb J’s Mocha Truffles   (Yield: about 5 ½ dozen)
 3 ½ cups semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons water
1 pound of dark chocolate confectionery coating
 IN a microwave-safe bowl melt chocolate chips. Add cream cheese, coffee and water; mix well. Chill until firm enough to shape. Shape into 1-in balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill for 1-2 hours or until firm. Melt chocolate coating in microwave-safe bowl or double boiler. Dip balls and place on waxed paper to harden. Note 1: When shaping the balls, take only small amounts out of the refrigerator at a time so they will be easy to shape and not becoming warm and sticky. Note 2: We melt small amounts of coating at a time because it hardens quickly. We also take out a few of the mocha balls at a time because they are harder to cover with the coating when a little warm. Note 3: Truffles can be frozen for several months before dipping in chocolate. Thaw in the refrigerator before dipping. They can also be frozen after dipping and thawed in the refrigerator.
It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow
OH these all sound so delicious!!! I’ve made a really concerted effort this year for consumable gift giving, or at the least something that won’t add to clutter!!
Raesha – good for you! Do you have any other suggestions?
I have to say, living here in a hostel in Wellington, NZ with the planet between me and everyone I’d normally be giving gifts to/getting them from… it’s incredibly relaxing. And I have friends here, but no crazy gift exchanges. I might make some cards, though that won’t take long.
On-topic, a Swedish friend here taught me a recipe for Swedish Chocolate Balls… so very simple, it doesn’t even need an oven to make. (Perfect for a hostel!) It’s already become my favourite dessert recipe, I’ll share if anyone wants.
Niriel – yes please!
Mix 100g butter/margarine with 2dl white sugar in a bowl. Then mix in 3dl oats, 3tbsp cocoa powder, 1tsp vanilla sugar (extract works too), and 3tbsp coffee (as in liquid, not beans). Mix well then shape into little balls. Roll them in dessicated coconut (or pearl sugar, though I’ve not tried that yet) and leave in the fridge for at least half an hour (an hour or more gives best results).
That’s all there is to it.
Me too, Niriel
Sounds good to me to Niriel. And I am glad you are enjoying NZ.
Idgy – posted the recipe in a reply to Moni 🙂
I’d like the recipe for chocolate balls!
The kids made the shortbread cookies a couple of weeks ago. Except they added the flour prior to combining the butter and sugar. Flour everywhere! We packaged the cookies into holiday themed cardboard take out containers. They are handing them out to their grandparents, aunts and uncles when we see them over the holidays. FYI – the cookies freeze really well (and taste good frozen).
OMG this is just awesome. I have had the hardest working staff the past three days due to a tornado ripping through a part of southern Sydney, and I was thinking ‘how can I thank them’ and I think recipe 2 and 3 might work very well to scale up to my guys (40+).
Snosie – scary stuff!!! Hope everyone is ok? Much damage?
Just going off topic here, does anyone keep the service programme from funerals? My husband keeps them in a folder, and unfortunately seems to have quite a collection from the last five years or so. Its not the sort of thing that I would keep but was wondering if anyone does?
Hi Moni! When I was going through my Mother’s stuff last week, I found several of her programs in my file for her. I didn’t keep them though. I wouldn’t be surprised if I still have programs from my brothers also…I guess just those who were very dear to me. My guess for myself…when you lose someone very close, for awhile everything connected to that person is very dear.