Nothing tells me that someone is all over Christmas more than an edible, homemade gift. It’s such a busy time of year – the downside of having to raise a glass with nigh-on every person in our lives in the space of three weeks! – that making DIY presents on top can feel a step too far. The great joy in doing so, however, is the sheer absence of steps required, be they trawling up and down the high street or joining the back of the queue at the post office. Clear an afternoon to stay at home, turn up the music and sing along to all the ways you’ve got Christmas covered this year.
Advocaat (and a snowball sundae)
If Christmas isn’t the best time of year to lean into a bit of retro, I don’t know when is. And this favourite seasonal drink is the gift that keeps on giving, especially if you use some to whip up the snowball sundae for a fabulously festive after-dinner treat. Fill up little bottles to give to family and friends, and attach a handwritten tag with the snowball sundae recipe on it. Keep a bottle or two for yourself, too.
Prep 15 min
Makes About 1.3 litres
For the advocaat
500g icing sugar
12 top-quality large egg yolks
The seeds of 1 vanilla pod, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
300ml double cream
500ml gold rum
For the snowball sundae (per serve)
1 heaped tbsp unsweetened whipped cream
1 scoop lemon sorbet (homemade or shop-bought)
20ml advocaat
1-2 tbsp crushed meringue (homemade or shop-bought)
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla until completely combined, but not at all lightened in colour. Stream in the cream, whisking to combine, then stream in the rum, again whisking to combine. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug, then decant into sterilised glass jars or small bottles and seal. Keep in the fridge for at least a month.
To make a festive snowball, dollop the whipped cream into a small dessert dish or ice-cream coupe, put the scoop of lemon sorbet on top, pour the advocaat over that, sprinkle on the crushed meringue and serve immediately.
Peanut butter brittle
Timing is important here, because the nuts need to go into the caramel while they’re still warm. So, if you roast them ahead of time, pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to heat up. You don’t need to be so disciplined when it comes to decorating the brittle, though: unleash your inner Jackson Pollock, because the more flicks and drizzles, the better. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Prep 10 min
Cook 40 min
Cool 2 hr
Makes 2-4 bags, depending on size
300g raw, skin-off peanuts, roughly chopped
½ tsp sunflower oil
½ tsp flaked salt, plus extra for sprinkling
250g caster sugar
20g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp white miso paste (optional)
60g milk chocolate (60%), finely chopped or grated
The zest of 1 lime – pare it off with a peeler, then very thinly slice
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 and line two large oven trays with greaseproof paper. Put the peanuts, oil and flaked salt on one tray, toss to coat, then spread out and roast for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden brown.
About 10 minutes before the nuts come out of the oven (as I’ve already stressed, they need to be warm), start making the caramel. Put the sugar in a medium saucepan on a medium heat and, when the sugar starts to melt at the edges, after about six to eight minutes, turn down the heat a little and keep cooking, resisting the urge to stir and instead tilting the pan every now and then, until the sugar has melted evenly and the caramel has turned golden – if it’s darker in some spots, swirl to redistribute the heat. Once the caramel is a dark amber, take off the heat and carefully stir in the butter and miso.
Tip the warm nuts into the caramel, stir quickly to combine, then pour out on to the second lined oven tray. Working quickly, but carefully, place a sheet of greaseproof paper on top of the nutty caramel mix and use a rolling pin gently to flatten it out until it’s ½cm thick all over. Peel off the top sheet of paper, then set the brittle aside for about an hour, leave to cool completely.
When the brittle has cooled, melt 45g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a small pan of boiling water, taking care that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Once melted, lift the bowl off the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until it, too, has melted in the residual heat. Once the chocolate is completely smooth, use a spoon to flick and drizzle it over the top of the brittle, then evenly sprinkle over the lime zest and a sprinkle of flaked salt. Put in the fridge uncovered, to cool for at least an hour, then break into shards and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Kumquat spoon sweets
I first came across spoon sweets in Greece, and have since been gifted them from many different countries. They’re made by simmering fruit in sugar syrup until it’s lightly candied, and I’ve found that kumquats work especially well, not least because their small size and thin skin mean they candy very quickly. Spoon sweets are great on a cheeseboard, or use them to decorate other desserts. Once made, they will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.
Prep 5 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min
Makes 340g
800g kumquats
400g caster or granulated sugar
1 tsp cloves
10 cardamom pods, cracked open
½ tsp flaked sea salt
Gently stab each kumquat with a needle or sharp skewer to make several small holes that just pierce the skin, then put in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Strain the kumquats, then return them to the pan and add the sugar, cloves, cardamom, salt and 200ml fresh water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and leave to simmer uncovered for an hour and a quarter, until the kumquats have softened and turned slightly translucent. Take off the heat, leave to cool in the pan, then transfer into sterilised jars and seal, ready to gift. Store in the fridge.
