Food on Friday: Favorite homemade Christmas food gifts

First of all, happy Friday!  I for one am SO glad it is the weekend, even though I have enough work to drown in this weekend.   By Monday, I hope to have everything done so that Peter and I can go to the Christmas market in Erfurt for the day.  Oh, and I need to get a tree.  I wish this time was more quiet!

As you can probably tell, one of my favorite things to do is to make gifts for people for the holidays.  It is always hard work, but it feels rewarding, usually costs less and means a lot to the person receiving the gift.  Here is a list of my favorite food-related handmade gifts and links to recipes or instructions.  Enjoy!

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1. Chocolate covered spoons or swizzle sticks

Adorable spoons (and photography) from Wenderly.

Almost everyone drinks coffee or hot cocoa and most people like a little flavor in it. These are adorable and can made with all kinds of flavors and looks.  You need disposable spoons (I like these, which are not too expensive and are better for the environment), chocolate and fun extras like colored sugar crystals and smashed candy canes.  Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and dip the tips of the spoons (or swizzle sticks that you steal from Starbucks if you are really low on cash this year) in the chocolate. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane (for a minty latte), sugar crystals or drizzle with a pretty pattern of melted white chocolate.  

I would give these in a cute mug or coffee cup with some delicious ground coffee or hot chocolate packs nestled inside.  I would wrap it in cellophane to show off your pretty culinary art.  It would be great for a teacher (because she probably needs coffee ALL the time) or as a hostess gift. 

There is a recipe here or here.

2.  Peppermint Bark

 

Recipe and picture from Tomato Tango

I love peppermint bark.  I LOVE it.  It is one of my favorite Christmas treats and it is SO, SO easy.  Place it in a clear cellophane bag, tie it with a cute ribbon and give it to everyone you know.  Providing that I can find candy canes (so far, my search has failed) this is what I plan on giving to all the people in my life who deserve a little something special.  I like mine super thin, with dark chocolate and lots of peppermint!  

Here is a recipe.  And another.

3.  Fudge

From Martha Stewart.

Because it is my other favorite thing in the whole world.  Mmmmm....Fudge.  You can't argue with creamy, rich, melt-in-your-mouth fudge.  

Although it looks pretty in the picture...please reserve the peppermint pieces for your peppermint bark.  Don't mess with something as already perfect as fudge.  

Martha has a recipe here.  

4.  Homemade hot cocoa mix 

From My Recipes, photo by David Prince.

There is nothing better than hot cocoa on a cold winter evening.  Everyone drinks it but no one really wants to sit around too long and make it.  Give your friends a wonderful homemade treat with this hot cocoa mix.  It is easy and can simply be mixed with hot milk or water.  If you put it in a pretty enough jar, the person can turn around and use the jar for candles or for storing other things like coffee. 

Here are two recipes. 

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I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of joy and love leading up to the holidays!  And do something special for yourself:  curl up for an hour and read a book, take a bath, watch that movie you have been dying to see.  As the holidays near, it is important to remember to treat everyone around you with love but also to treat yourself with love.  You deserve it!