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I am trying not to spend a fortune on pressies this Christmas and apart from the usual chutneys, jelly etc I would quite like to give homemade sweets. My aunt used to something with chocolate and marvel milk powder that were yummy but I can't remember the recipe.
Does anyone have any other sweet ideas I could try?

I have quite a few so will post tomorrow as I haven't a lot of time tonight to dig out books etc. There were some nice recipes in the October Asda magazine. I'm going to try the blackcurrant jelly sweets with some of my frozen blackberries.

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Bright Blessings
Earthbabe
If at first you don't succeed, open a bottle of wine.

This is taking me back to when I first was interested in cooking! I'm not a "sweet" person (although I'm quite cute! ) I have the following recipes if you are interested: turkish delight, vanilla fudge and peanut brittle. I can post them if you are interested. DDL PS just found some flowers from my wedding bouquet (23 years ago Sept!) and the book is the first cookery book I ever owned! DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Yes please to all... Chrimbo sweets recipies sounds fab!!

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

Actually - I apologize! Have just got out an original Mrs Beeton - there are recipes for every type of sweet you could imagine! Only problem is, there are that many! if you have any ideas, let me know, otherwise we'd be here from now till Christmas! DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Are there any 'seasonal' tasting ones - orange and cinnamon etc...? Thinking for the Christmas theme and all..

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

You will need: (apols for "old money" thats how old the book is! and, erm me! and it is a children cookery book!)

3/4pt cold water
1lb granulated sugar
10z powdered gelatine
few drops vanilla or other essence
few drops chochineal or other colouring
1oz cornflour
1oz icing sugar

Fill a 7x7 inch square tin with cold water and put aside.
Put 1/4pt and the granulated sugar in a pan and dissove over a low heat.
Put 1/2pt cold water and the powdered gelatine into a large saucepan and dissolve over a low heat.
When both the sugar and the gelatine are dissolved, pour the sugar mixture into the gelatine mixture and mix.
Add the flavouring and colouring and bring to the boil and boil FAST for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool by standing pan in a bowl of cold water until it resembles liquid jelly. IT MUST NOT SET AT ALL.
Empty the water from the square tin and pour in the turkish delight mixture.
Leave overnight to set.
Sift the cornflower and icing sugar together.
Cut around the mixture using a knife, warmed in hot water. Toss the stips in the cornflower/sugar mixture.
Makes approximately 1lb 6oz.

DDL note: Im sure that somewhere I read you could add a few drops of rose water to make it smell/taste extra nice? not sure though!

DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Old Money's good by me DDL! Might have fun experimenting in time for Christmas here....

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

For those of you with a really sweet tooth, this went down really well with the family last year.

Scottish Tablet

Ingredients:
2lb granulated sugar
4oz butter
1/4 pint water
1/4 pint milk
Large tin condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:
Put the sugar, butter, water and milk into a large, heavy pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 mins without stirring. Stir in condensed milk and boil for another 10 mins. Remove from heat and add vanilla essence. Beat the mixture for 1 min, then pour into a buttered tin and mark out into squares. Cut when cold.

Hope you like

you will need:

4oz roasted peanuts
8oz sugar
4 tablespoons water
squeeze lemon juice

Butter a 7" square tin.
Chop the peanuts.
Dissolve the sugar in the water in a large saucepan ove ra low heat. Add the lemon juice.
Bring gently to the boil.
As the sugar begins to turn colour remove from the heat add the chopped peanuts and pour into the prepared tin.
Do not let the sugar turn too brown. It must not burn.
When set, break into bite sized pieces.

DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Has anyone got a recipe for coconut ice? DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Just having a "fertle" for christmas ones! do you want the vanilla fudge recipe? DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Erm, not that many christmas ones. candied chestnuts, candied peel, choc pralines? any good? DDL

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Home made rum truffles made with good ingredients - very rich. Peppermint creams

To add another two to the list

Yes thank you

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

In old money again

2 lbs sugar
8 ozs dessicated coconut
1/4 pint of milk
1 oz unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
red colouring

Put sugar milk and butter in a suacepan and heat gently till sugar dissolved
Bring to boil and cook for approx 10mins till it reaches 120 C or 248 F

Remove from heat add coconut and vanilla essence. Beat with a wooden spoon till thick and creamy. Pour half into an oiled 8" baking tray. Quickly add a few drops of red colouring, mixing well and put on top of white mixture.
Leave to set then cut into squares

How about a gngerbread house. It can be as simple or elaborate as you like

1lb Sugar
1/4 pint Water
5oz desperated coconut
Drop of red food colouring

Preperation time: 15 minutes
cooking Time: 30 minutes

Put the sugar in a fairly large saucpan with the water, heat & stir frequently till the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil without stirring, and allow to boil steadily until soft ball stage (know it well ) 115c/238F is reached; when a teaspoon of the syrup is dropped into cold water will forma soft ball.
Add the coconut to the syrup and reboil to 119c/246F. At this stage a little syrup dropped into cold water will form a firm ball. (sounds better to me !)

Pour half of the mxture into a 7"square tin lined with nonstick silicone paper. Add a drop of red food colouring to the remainder and keep this soft by standing the saucepan in hot water (that's where I am usually). When the whit is sufficiently set, cover with the pink coconut Ice and smooth level. Leave to set until completely cold & then turn out & cut into 8 bars ( wasn't that Status Quo?) or individual squares.

Keeps upto 4 weeks in an airtight tin (some hope)
Makes 11/4 pounds

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

candied oranges I'd recommend

Used to get my kids to make sweeties for the neighbours on Xmas Eve, kept them out of my hair while I was getting everything else ready.

Marzipan stuffed dates are good - buy dates, remove stones and replace with rolled marzipan.

Marzipan can also be coloured with food colouring and made into little fruit shapes. Or layered (different colours) and rolled up then cut into slices.

Peppermint creams are good.

Look in charity shops for "old fashioned" cookery books.

Can post some recipes tomorrow, but it's getting a bit late now and I need to do some research (that is find the flaming books)

Chocolate coated candied peel:

225g /8oz prepared peel (see below)
280g/ 10oz granulated sugar
115g / 4oz plain chocolate, melted

1. Cut fruits in half cross-wise. Scoop the flesh out, leaving the white pith and skin intact. Cut the peel in to thick strips. Cover with cold water and leave overnight.
2. Drain the peel, place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then drain. Repeat the process twice more.
3. Place the sugar in a large saucepan and then stir in 350ml cold water. Stir constantly over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the syrup to the boil, then add the peel.
4. Cook the peel in the syrup until it appears transparent.
5. Remove the peel from the syrup using a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to allow the syrup to drain off. Separate the pieces and allow to dry for 48 hours.
6. Cut the peel in to strips using scissors, then dip each piece of peel in the melted chocolate, either to give a 'half and half' effect, or using a cocktail stick to rotate the peel to completely cover the peel (removing the stick whilst chocolate is still wet). Leave to dry.

Liquer cups:

Make chocolate cups by melting plain chocolate then brushing round the inside of a sturdy petit-four paper case several times, to a thickness that allows you to pull away the paper once chocolate has set.

To fill 25 cups:

375g /12oz granulated sugar
90ml cold water
60ml liquer of your choice

1 Combine the sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan and stir continuously over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. If any crystals of sugar remain on the side of the pan, dip a pastry brush in cold water and brush them down in to the syrup.
2. Increase the heat to moderate and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches a temperature of 108C / 225F. Immediately remove from heat and place pan in cold water to arrest the cooking process.
3. Have a second saucepan, or large jug to hand. Add the liquer to the syrup, but do not stir it in. Instead, pour the syrup backwards and forwards from pan to pan. This reduces the risk of sugar crystals forming the in syrup. When the liquer is incorporated in to the syrup, ocver with cling film and leave until cold.
4. Once it is cold, the syrup can be used to fill the cups.
5. To seal the cups, use the back of a teaspoon to form little 'lids' using melted chocolate (on greaseproof paper or similar). Paint a rim around the edge of the set lid, then quickly place over the liquer filled cup, ensuring it is sealed. Allow to set, before inverting to make the 'lid' the base of the chocolate. The cups can now be decorated if you wish.

Chocolate Florentine Petit-Fours:

(Makes about 25 petit-fours)

140g / 5oz plain chocolate
60g / 2oz whole nuts (brazils, almonds, hazelnuts etc.)
60g / 2oz coloured glace cherries, quartered
60g / 2oz seedless raisins

1. Line a baking tray with non-stick parchment.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Allow it to cool slightly and thicken.
3. Drop a teaspoonfull of chocolate on to the tray and use the back of a spoon to swirl it in to a flat disc about 4cm/1.5" across. Immediately push a whole nut, 2 pieces of glace cherry and two raisins in to the chocolate disc.
4. Continue until all the ingredients are used. Do not attempt to make more than one florentine at a time or the chocolate will harden too much to allow the fruit and nuts to stick.

Rich Chocolate Fudge:

(makes about 675g / 1.5lb)

450g 1lb granulated sugar
250ml whole milk
150ml unsweetened evaporated milk
90ml double cream
90g / 3oz unsalted butter
115g /4oz milk chocolate

1 Lightly oil a 20cm / 8" square baking tin, and line the bottom with baking parchment.
2. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, evaporated milk and double cream. Dice the butter and add to the pan. If you have a sugar thermometer, place it in the pan at this stage.
3. Place the panover a low heat, and stir the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted.
4. Raise the heat slightly and bring the mixture ot a steady boil, stirring frequently. Take extra care here as it is quite easy to burn fudge with such a high milk and cream content.
5. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
6. When the temperature of the fudge reaches 114 - 115C / 237 - 239F, or the 'soft ball' stage, remove pan from the heat and beat the mixture for one minute.
7. Beat in the melted chocolate and continue to beat until the chocolate is evenly distributed and the fudge appears thick and creamy. Turn the fudge in to the prepared tin. When almost set, mark in to squares.
8. When the fudge is cold and firm, turn it out of the tin and remove the parchment. Cut in to squares as marked.