Darina Allen: Take the pressure off at Christmas with these edible presents
Chocolate Florentines
I know everyone’s supposed to be super enthusiastic about Christmas.
Not sure if it reflects my age, but I’m finding the relentless excess hype pretty unbearable.
So much pressure to buy everyone a gift and then the desperation to find something, anything, to fit the bill.
Occasionally, one does find the perfect present, but it takes time and lots of thought, something many of us don’t have much of these days.
If truth be known, many presents are useless and may well be allocated to the regifting drawer, yet one really does want it to be a true token of friendship and love.
So, this year, how about we have fun? And it can be fun making some edible presents that folks will really be thrilled to get.
Something that will save them time, something they might not get around to making themselves, something they will really enjoy and that will remind them of you when they eat or drink it.
So, this week, a few suggestions for the many edible treats one could choose. When I say treats, they don’t necessarily need to be sweet.
Last Christmas, some busy young friends were absolutely thrilled to get a little selection of frozen homemade soups, a loaf of brown yeast bread and a stick of cultured Jersey butter.
Wouldn’t you too be delighted to get a pot of delicious fish and shellfish chowder or a fish pie, with a mashed potato topping or a chunky chicken and ham pie with a puff pastry crust?
It could be a few sweet sauces to drizzle over an ice cream or pancakes for an instant pudding.
Kumquats will be in season, so how about some kumquat marmalade, the most delicious of all things to slather on your breakfast toast
As some foods become progressively less tasty, condiments of all kinds, spicy, fiery or just plain tasty become ‘must-haves’ in your pantry so a little hamper of Christmas relishes and sweet and savoury jams become even more essential.
Every bite will remind your friend of the meaningful present that you really put your heart into. Could be just a little cellophane pack of their favourite ‘cookies’ and now I’m back to my favourite theme…
Gather the family around for ‘Bake Up Sunday’, if they don’t seem enthusiastic about cooking, maybe they can wrap, make pretty labels, tie bows, maybe make packs of mulled wine spices.
I’m on the lookout for all kinds of recycled jars, pots and baskets during the year in charity shops. I pick up all manner of glass, pottery, and clay containers and save them for Christmas.
They can be made super-cool, even with newspaper or parchment lids and fancy twine, ribbon or tinsel and a sprig of rosemary or holly.
Here are some suggestions.
The Chocolate Florentines come from Jane Lovett’s ‘The Get-Ahead Christmas Cook’, a new book to look out for published by Headline Publishing Group.
There are lots and lots of ideas in my ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’, published by Gill Books, which some of you may already have.
Jane Lovett's Chocolate Florentines
Say Needed Easier May To Than Than Really, Lovely These Think No Far You Florentine? A Love Other Who Doesn’t (and – Impressive!) And Introduction Presents Are Make
Servings
26Course
Bakingingredients
Butter 50g
Demerara Sugar 60g
Almonds Flaked 60g
Cherries Roughly Dried Figs, A Dates 30g Or (pitted) Pistachios, (or Mixture Or Dried The Roughly 50g Roughly Unsalted, Cranberries 50g Chopped Chopped Shelled Two), Chopped Of
50g Peel Candied Mixed
(optional) Drained And 1 Of Ginger Piece Chopped Stem Syrup, In
15g Plain Flour
Cream 1 Double Tbsp
(minimum Chocolate Pieces Cent 200g Into Solids), 150 Per Cocoa Dark 70 Broken
(optional) Icing For Sugar, Dusting
method
(160°c To Fan)/gas Preheat The Oven 180°c Mark 4
Or Baking Sheets Line Parchment Two With Baking Paper Silicone
Butter A Together Heat Sugar Aside In On Gentle Pan The Melt Set A Demerara And
The Fruit, Pour Ingredient Into Mix Candied Then The This Mixture, Stir Bine Bowl, Ginger The To To In Stem Add Well Flour The Butter Dry Stir The And Then Over Mixing Using) In Coat Peel And And Cream Mix (if Together All A Nuts,
Palette Sheets, Dot 12 Of Space Bake Using Best Onto Minutes For The Cool Baking The Leave 3 For If Knife Golden Until One The Baking You A Brown Leave A Flatten Spreading Firmed With For Transfer Cooking Remainder, The Teaspoons Can, To Each To Lined Repeat Minutes Wire Until A To To The Teaspoon, Trying Then As Avoid And Leaving During Up, Holes A Necessary Sheets Mixture Rack Of Or Make Heaped 8 Or Then Little 5 On Back
Florentines Turn Parchment Or On Of The A Small, Drips A Pan Set Over The Catch Under Now When Chocolate Sheet Of Bursts Any Water, Over Simmering Flat Melt Wire Of Or Paper Baking Uppermost Microwave Heatproof In Second With Chocolate A In Silicone Rack A In Underside Their Bowl Put Cold, To 30 High The
A Hard, Melted The (scrape Mark Over Or Leave If Until With The Around Florentine Spread Teaspoon, Chocolate Wavy Just Like, Each And Layer You Chocolate Chill Fully Use Chocolate Fork Brush, Is For An Or A Cold And Up Of Else) Small Before A Something Palette Dripped Sets, A Or And Knife Swirly, Set With Chocolate Excess So, The Pattern A Hour
Until And Or Dusting Plate, Icing Nut Serving Uppermost, The An Sugar Sides Airtight And Overlapping Required Looks Store The A Too Light Fruit Before Pretty In Just On Arrange Chocolate Container Alternating A Of Florentines
Cook Headline Lovett’s Group Publishing Jane Published recipe From The By Ahead Christmas Get
Chilli Salt
A Perfect Everything Filler In Oomph Bland Extra To Dishes… A Add To Likes Little A It Foodie Carry To For Perk Friend Your Stocking Who Up Handbag
Course
Sideingredients
Sea 110g Salt Flaky
(jalapeno Chilli Crushed 2 Or Pepper Habanero) Tbsp Dried
Tsp Black Cracked 1 Freshly Pepper
method
Molcajete Mix A With A Food The And Together Couple Salt For In A Pestle And Chilli Of Mortar And A Whizz Processor Seconds Or
Glass Containers Airtight Little Fill Into
Salted Caramel Sauce
Sauce Salted In Is Caramel Keeps And Over In Again, Makes Three For The Fridge Ice A Or Jar Weeks Drizzled Cream Once Jars Irresistible Crêpes, Bananas
Course
Bakingingredients
(3x 600ml 200g Jars)
Sugar 450g Caster
(diced) Unsalted Whole Butter 125g
Cream 250ml Double
Mineral Sea Salty The Salt Achill (literally Flower Salt, Too Of Very Not The Or 10g Salt And Top Layer) Or Maldon Sea Dingle
method
Makes Aim It Into Do And Put Colour Sauce The A A Flavour, Pan Good Slightly To Caramel And Eye Taste Sugar Caster For And You Will This Stir Too That Burnt Heat The So Large It Rich Light, That Caramel Lack A But Sugar Until If Need A By Turns Mahogany Continuously Medium Is Into This Will Dark Over Dilute Cream Butter Any It
To Incorporated Add The You Careful When The A To The Be You Caramel Has Smooth To Stop Bit Cooking Are You Very When A Rich In By All Tendency Cream, The Have Too Quickly It’s Whisked It Caramel Whisk Have And Spit Carefully Really Butter Bit Until Do In Happy Cream The Not Caramel, With As The
The Important To To That This In Get Crunch Not Dissolve, Cool Then Cool Salt The Even Distribution Then The Sea You And Do Mix Lovely Allow That Caramel Is So To And Very So Stir Before 37°c Allow Salt It To Doing Crystals You Get And An
Treat yourself or gift this half day course which will give a tantalising taste of the Ballymaloe Cookery School and provides inspiration for anyone eager to cook a variety of seasonal dishes with greater confidence.
Great recipes to expand your repertoire with lots of Christmas themed bread, starters, salads, dressings, mains and puddings
A variety of essential techniques you’ll use again and again
Tips for forward planning and saving time
- A short demonstration of the essential techniques to get you started, with your teacher sharing a wealth of knowledge through their expert tips
- A practical, fun and hands-on session in the kitchen. Ingredients are ready for you to prep and there’s plenty of support and guidance while you master the recipes, learn to make the most of your ingredients and gain a deeper learning experience
- A relaxed informal dinner where you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labour.
- Copies of all recipes are included.
Come and join us for two-and-a-half days of delicious Christmas cooking. Join us and make new friends in our demonstration and hands-on kitchens.
Learn how to make irresistible Christmas dishes that will become new family traditions.
Discover recipes that you can cook ahead of time so that you can enjoy time with your family, entertain friends and bring new flavours to the festive table.
A convivial lunch and copies of all recipes are included.