GIFT GUIDE
Gifts From Your,Ki
Gifts you make yourself are charming to receive.
by Annabel Cohen
n this world of prefab and cookie-cutter everything, it's gratifying to
spend a few hours crafting the types of yummy homemade gifts peo-
ple used to send. It's good practice, too, to show yourself that you
can create treasured delicacies.
Packaging will set your homemade gifts above the rest. A well-
packaged food gift is as important as the gift itself. Candied citrus peel
enveloped in crisp, clear cellophane bags (available at card shops, cake
decorating and candy stores and many craft stores) and tied with colorful
satin or grosgrain ribbon is infinitely more appealing than the same peel
presented in a zippered sandwich bag.
The same holds true for jarred gifts. Soup and cookie mixes, jams and
sauces are much more eye-catching when the jar includes a label with
your handwriting on it (Annabel's Vegetable Soup Mix, for example) and a
square of patterned fabric secured with a rubber band and tied with coor-
I
MIXED CANDIED CITRUS PEEL
1 large grapefruit
2 oranges
3 lemons
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
Superfine sugar (available at gourmet
shops and candy supply stores) or
granulated sugar
Remove the peels. If the peel is the kind
that comes off the fruit with your fingers,
score the fruit with a sharp knife, just
through to the flesh. Peel away the skin
and cut the peel into 1/4-inch strips. Use a
sharp knife to remove as much of the
white (the pitch) under the peel.
If the peel does not come off easily cut
the fruit into sixths and cut the peel away.
Continue with the process as above.
Place the strips in a large saucepan,
cover with cold water and bring to a boil
over high heat. Reduce heat to a low boil
and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the strips in
a colander, and repeat the process two
more times.
After the last boiling, place the strips
back in the saucepan. Add 3 cups of water
and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Bring the liquid to a
boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook the
strips for 20 minutes. Remove from heat
and allow the peels to soak for 30 minutes
more. Drain well; do not rinse.
Spray a drying rack (or cooling rack)
with nonstick cooking spray Place the
rack over a baking sheet or large length of
foil to catch drippings. Spread the peels on
the rack in a single layer and allow them
to dry for 1 hour, but not more than 4.
Pour about a cup of superfine sugar into
a gallon size, zipper-style plastic bag. Add
the peels; shake well to coat. Arrange them
again on the drying rack and allow them
to dry for another couple of hours. Place
the peels in small cellophane bags, tins or
gift boxes (small Chinese food boxes work
great). Tie the bags or wrap the boxes with
attractive ribbon. Makes 3/4 to 1 pound.
GIFT
GUIDE
11/12
2004
20
MIXED NUT BRITTLE
This adapted recipe makes an interesting
and luxurious brittle. You can use all one
dinating ribbon. (Almost any commercial jar is good — just soak off the
label in warm, soapy water.)
For more food gift wrap ideas, look around. Line small gift boxes with
gift tissue and a paper doily before adding your goodies. Or combine your
homemade treats with fitting accessories: Packing homemade candies or
caramels in a crystal candy dish and wrapping in an elegant gift bag is
easy and clever.
The recipes below are just a few examples of gifts you can craft in your
kitchen. Don't let this list limit you. Other great food gifts include nut
breads, cookies, jam, flavored olive oils or vinegar, fudge ... If you're not
into cooking, the soup mix recipe below or any combination of dried
fruits and candies, packaged just so, makes a great gift.
This holiday season, give something different — something of yourself
— your time and effort.
type of nut if you prefer. I like salty nuts
combined with the sweet brittle, but you
can use any kind of nut — salted or not.
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
4 ounces sliced almonds
4 ounces pine nuts
4 ounces shelled pistachios
4 ounces cashews
4 Tbsp. (1/2-stick) unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350E Spray two baking
sheets with sides well with-nonstick cook-
ing spray
Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in
a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly; con-
tinue cooking until mixture reaches about
280F on a candy thermometer. Add all the
nuts and continue cooking until mixture
reaches 290-300F on the thermometer
(hard-crack stage). NOTE: The brittle
must reach the hard-crack stage or it won't
be crunchy. Remove from heat and stir in
the butter. Pour the mixture onto the pre-
pared pans, and using an oiled spatula,
work quickly to stretch or spread the mix-
ture.
Allow the brittle to cool completely
before breaking it into pieces. Wrap tightly
in gift bags, boxes or tins. Makes about 2
pounds.
LAYERED VEGETABLE SOUP MIX
Though you can use any variety of beans
for this mix, I like to vary the colors for
visual interest. You can also mix all the
ingredients together and forget the layer-
ing.
1/2 cup dry white or northern beans
1/2 cup dry split peas
12 cup dry red lentils
1/2 cup dry pearl barley
1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
3 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Layer the soup mix by ingredients in a
24-ounce jar or cellophane bag in the
order listed above (if there is extra room in
the jar, add some white or wild rice to take
up the space). Attach a card with these
instructions typed or written on it::
(Your name) Vegetable Soup
Combine soup mix with 10 cups of
water and 1 28-ounce can of diced toma-
toes with juice in a soup pot over high
heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to sim-
mer and cook the soup for 2 hours. Test
the beans for tenderness and adjust salt
and pepper to taste. Continue cooking
until the beans are tender, adding more
water if needed. Makes 8-12 servings.
BRANDIED DRIED CHERRIES
This is beautiful packaged in small jars,
using a pretty square of fabric tied with
ribbon around the lid. It is a great topping
for ice cream or pound cake.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup (packed) dried cherries
2 tablespoons brandy, such as Cognac or
Armagnac
Bring all the ingredients except brandy
to a boil in a medium saucepan over medi-
um-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and
cook for 10 minutes. Stir in brandy and
allow to cool completely before transfer-
ring to one or two jars. Chill for up to 2
months and bring to room temperature
before serving.
QUICK MICROWAVE
FUDGE SAUCE
Essentially this recipe is a "ganache" sauce
that's so perfect for many uses. Make up
an ice cream sundae gift bag or basket,
adding small cellophane bags filled with
nuts, jimmies, dried fruits, chopped
chocolate sandwich cookies and more. Tie
the bags with coordinating ribbons and
include a jar of this sauce and perhaps an
ice cream scoop! This is beautiful pack-
aged in small jars, using a pretty square of
fabric tied with ribbon around the lid.
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces (1 package) semi-sweet choco-
late chips
Combine 'all ingredients in a medium
microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high for 2
minutes. Remove from oven and stir until
the mixture is smooth and the cream and
butter are completely incorporated. Pour
into 2 or 3 clean small jars. Makes about 3
cups of sauce.
CHEWY PECAN CARAMEL
Homemade caramels are very easy and
delicious. I like to wrap these in small
squares of wax paper (Tootsie Roll-style)
and twist the ends. Substitute any kind of
nuts you prefer.
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
(not whipped)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
Spray a baking sheet with sides with
nonstick cooking spray Set aside.
Combine cream, sugar, brown sugar,
corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat. When
the mixture begins to melt, begin stirring
constantly with a wooden spoon until all
the sugar is dissolved and the mixture
begins to boil. (If sugar crystals begin
sticking to the side of the pan, dip a pastry
brush in cold water and "wash" the crys-
tals down into the pan). Boil the caramel,
stirring occasionally until a candy ther-
mometer registers 245-250E Stir a few
more times before pouring the mixture
onto the baking sheet and allowing the
caramel to cool completely. Chill the
caramel overnight.
Meanwhile, cut wax paper into 80 2-
inch by 2-inch (approximately) squares.
Remove the caramel to a cutting board
that's also been sprayed with nonstick
cooking spray. Use a large oiled knife to
cut the caramel into small rectangles
(about 1-inch in length). Wrap the
caramels in the wax paper, twisting the
ends to secure them. Pack them in attrac-
tive tins, cellophane bags or gift boxes.
Makes up to 80 caramels, depending on
the size.