Sweets for Christmas

[Shortie]

Cheers again

[Earthbabe]

Blackcurrant jelly pastilles

4x290g cans blackcurrants, drained
4tsp lemon juice
450g golden caster sugar
4tbsp glucose syrup
4tbsp liquid pectin
approx 100g granulated sugar for rolling

1 Grease and line 2 x 18 cm square baking tins with greaseproof paper. Put the blackcurrants into a blender or food processor, then liquidise to a thick puree. Pour into a medium-sized, non-stick pan. Add the lemon juice, caster sugar, glucose and pectin and gently heat the mixture, stirring until all the sugar dissolves. Gring to the boil and keep boiling for 10 mins, stirring frequently until the mixture reduces by about half and thickens. Remove from the heat then spread intot he prepared tins and leave to set to a thick jelly. Chill overnight or for at least 3 hrs.
2 Tip the granulated sugar onto a tray. Lift the jelly out of the tins, keeping the lining paper attached. Cut each sheet into 7 strips, then across to make 49 lozenges, about 2.5cm square. Roll each pastile in the sugar until it coast all the sides then drop one or two jellies into petit four cases. Sugar your hands it they get sticky. Chill until as near time as possible for giving.

Will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Does anyone want a recipe for sugar mice?

[vicki]

I would love a recipe for sugar mice please!

[Earthbabe]

Sugar Mice (from my WTP Cook book)

Makes 12

12 oz (or 12 heaped tbsps icing sugar)
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice
few drops pink or green food colouring (or whatever you fancy I suppose)
24 silver balls.

Cover a tray with greaseproof paper.

Sift the icing sugar onto a large sheet of greaseproof paper and put the egg white into a large mixing basin. Using a fork lightly whisk the egg white until frothy. Gradually beat in about two thirds of the icing sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon juice. If using food colouring add at this stage.
Turn the mix onto a clear working surface and knead in the remaining sugar to get a fondant that is pliable so that you can shape it. Dust the working surface with a litle extra icin sugar to prevent the mix sticking. Shape the fondant into a thick rope and divide into 14 equal pieces.
Reserve two pieces of fondant and shape the remaining 12 into a round and then elongate each one to make a pear shape with a pointed nose and plump behind. Use the reserved pieces of fondant to provide each mouse with two ears and a tail. Press two silver balls into each one for the eyes.
As you shape each mouse set it on the paper-lined tay. When all are complete put somewhere warm to dry out - e.g. airing cupboard

You can probably use string to make tails if you wish.

Must admit I haven't tried these but they could be fun to make with Miss E next week (half term).

[monkeybum]

That one is great. I saw sugar mice at my local garden centre and they wanted £2.50 for 2 mice. I was outraged and although my youngest stamped her feet and yelled fror them I refused to pay. Does that make me a bad mother?.......maybe but come on £2.50 for two lumps of icing sugar!

[martini]

EB - you could use strawberry laces for the tails

[Earthbabe]

That one is great. I saw sugar mice at my local garden centre and they wanted £2.50 for 2 mice. I was outraged and although my youngest stamped her feet and yelled fror them I refused to pay. Does that make me a bad mother?.......maybe but come on £2.50 for two lumps of icing sugar!

I quite agree monkeybum. I've had experiences like that and you get some funny looks, but that is exorbitant. I'm looking forward to trying to make some with Miss E next week. don't know how her's will turn out but that's not the point.

[Earthbabe]

Great idea martini. And you can now get some that are made with natural flavours and colours.

[Earthbabe]

Crispie squares

Found this one the other night in the other WTP book.

For 10-12 squares

1/4lb white marshmallows
1/4lb cream caramels (toffees?)
1/4lb butter or margarine
6oz rice crispies

Put the marshmallows, butter (marg) and cream caramels into a saucepan over a low heat and stir gently until the ingredients have melted and the mixture is blended. Draw the pan off the heat.
Add the rice crispies all at once and stir gently until the crispies are coated in the toffee mixture.
Pour into a shallow tin and press the mixture down evenly.
Leave in a cool place until set firm then cut into squares.

Must admit, not tried it yet, but it looks like another one to try with Miss E this week. Hadn't realised half term could be quite so hard on the pocket and the waistline.

[blackkitty]

South African Fudge
This has a more 'sugary' texture than tradiitonal British fudge and does take a lot of stirring

125g Butter
500ml sugar, 2 cups or I use a measuring jug
1 tin condensed milk
1 tablespoon cocoa (optional for chocolate fudge)
Grease or oil a small Swiss roll tin
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the other ingredients, bring to the boil. When boiling, adjust heat so that you get a gentle 'plop' every now and again and stir constantly for 20 minutes, the fudge should be beginning to thicken and come away from the pan a bit. Pour carefully into the swiss roll tin and leave to set.
You can add dried fruit or nuts to this before pouring out.
This has not been tested by my pupils, the healthy eating police would have a heart attack as would health and safety with all that hot sugar...

[Newbie]

I am making a home made hamper for my parents' christmas pressies with various jams, pickles & chutneys i have made throughout the year. However i also want to make some of the Bounty balls (coconut, evap milk & choc), some fudge and perhaps a few cookies to put in with it.

I know i can make the cookies in advance & freeze them but my question is, how far in advance can i get away with making the bounty balls & fudge - any ideas how long they keep for?

[Alison]

Anybody got a decent recipe for truffles that won't go off in about 2 days - yes I know they never last long but if I'm giving them as gifts then I'd like to make them a few days before and don't want to freeze them in case the recepient wants to do that. I've got several recipes but they all have a high double cream content so won't keep

[Brengirl]

sorry folks I cannot stop dribbling....

[Rhona]

Alison, I think you might struggle to keep the quality. Frozen/refrozen chocolate is likely to develop a bloom and get a bit sticky, which you CAN solve by re-rolling in cocoa powder, but the texture won't be as good.

You could experiment by freezing the ganache on it's own possibly. To be honest, I'd find some cream with a long shelf life left and make them fresh. I've kept a ganache for about five days after making a a chocolate/caramel tarte and it was perfectly ok. That was 280g chocolate to 240g cream.

Just seal the container so there's no flavour taint and you should be fine.

[Polly Fouracre]

I always do kumquats, half-dipped in dark chocolate for my niece. She loves them, but not to everyone's taste I dare say.