From the hearth - to the heart

Home-made gifts are an ideal solution when you are hard up for extra cash, or hard pressed to find extra shopping hours. It is a simple shortcut from hearth to heart, as friends and family are easily delighted with delicious treats. Besides, did we mention that Kate Moss is a huge fan of home-made gifts?

White chocolate peppermint bark
Although there are many versions and variations of white chocolate bark, this one is adapted from The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, and promises stunning results. The shards of chocolate, if embellished in candy colours, look like jewels on snow.

450gm white chocolate, chopped
2 cups puffed rice cereal
225gm hard peppermint candy, crushed

Spray a 10x15-inch deep baking tray with non-stick cooking spray and line with waxed paper.
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, and stir occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in rice cereal. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread to edges using a spatula. Sprinkle with crushed candy.
Place a sheet of waxed paper over the surface and press in gently. Chill until firm for 20 to 30 minutes. Peel waxed paper off. Gently break bark into approximately two-inch shards.

Pesto and pasta
Not everyone has a sweet tooth, and the gift of a full meal will be warmly welcomed by people who cannot cook, or those who can’t find the time for it. Country Living’s classic recipe for pesto makes an ideal post-festivity gift, when accompanied with a pack or two of gourmet pasta. The quantities can be multiplied to suit the need.

25gm fresh basil
150ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to store
25gm pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50gm Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Blend basil, oil, nuts and garlic in a food processor until it forms a thick paste. Season well and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan and mix well. Pour into a glass jar, and cover the top with olive oil. Can be safely stored and refrigerated, for up to ten days.

Peanut butter fudge
This eternal favourite needs no description and requires no effort, but is sure to win attention and admiration from fans of all age groups. Since size matters, this recipe can yield between 20 and 40 pieces of delectable fudge.

240gm of butter
600gm of crunchy peanut butter
450gm confectioner’s (powdered) sugar

Lightly grease an 8x8 pan and line with aluminium foil. Melt butter and peanut butter in a double boiler over simmering water, and mix until melted. Add sugar and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared pan when still piping hot, and leave to cool for at least three hours. When cool, lift the foil and fudge and place on dry board. Cut the fudge into desired shape and size.

Chocolate truffles
They look great, they taste great, they are deceptively simple to make, and very few people can resist their charms. The exact number of truffles resulting from this recipe is subject to size, and stages of tasting, but there should be enough for two or even three generous-sized gifts.

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 medium can sweetened condensed milk

Optional flavours:
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp orange extract
1/4 tbsp mint extract

Optional coatings:
Sprinkles
Chocolate flakes
Cocoa
Lightly toasted nuts, finely chopped
Desiccated coconut

Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk on a slow heat or in the microwave. Remove from heat, and stir in flavour of choice. Dividing the batter into three parts and flavouring each differently is also a great idea. A clever idea is to pour into a glass bowl, cover and chill until firm, for approximately three hours. Shape the truffles into large marble-sized balls, and roll in coating, if using. Keep stored in the refrigerator.

Sugar cookies
Almost a synonym for the season, sugar cookies are a quintessential Christmas treat, and go down equally well with children and adults, individuals and families. This recipe makes a large batch of cookies — approximately six dozen, and can be packed into gifts of varying sizes.

1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Optional decorations:
Sprinkles, hard candy, lemon zest, or sugar before baking. Icing or chocolate ganache after the cookies are cooled.

A few hours before you start, cream the butter and sugar well, before adding eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mix the batter with all the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined, and shape the dough into a ball. Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two to three hours. Preheat oven to 204C. Lightly grease a couple of cookie sheets, and generously flour cookie cutters and rolling pin. Take a small portion of the dough to roll, keeping the rest refrigerated. For softer cookies, roll out to a thickness of 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch. Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. If decorating beforehand, do so after placing cookies on sheet, with enough space in between rows.
Bake for eight to ten minutes until light golden in colour, and cool on wire racks.
If decorating with ganache or icing, wait until the cookies are fully cooled.

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Box clever
When you pick out the perfect gift, pack it in a pretty gift box that they’ll want to keep and use again. We’re not talking the thin, cardboard gift boxes you see in some card stores; we’re talking sturdier, keepsake boxes that are meant to last, holding treasures such as love notes, engagement cards and other precious items.

A good gift box isn’t just two times the present, it’s also environmentally friendly. “Always consider the waste you may be creating when you buy and wrap a gift,” says Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life. “It’s amazing to realise that half of what ends up in the landfill is paper, most of which is packaging and [paper]. Landfills have been closed all over the place because they are chock-full.” Even paper made of recycled materials takes time for the paper to decompose. An alternative is a gift box that is never discarded. Here are some options to consider:

Hat boxes: All things 1960s, retro and heirloom are in style right now, and Victorian or modern-style hat boxes have emerged as a top display item. They also work as storage pieces for hats, wigs and letters or special greeting cards.
Jewellery boxes: Skip the pricey mahogany ones for affordable, colourful, fabric-covered jewellery boxes that are gifts in themselves. Lifestyle has some lovely options that are sure to please.
Multimedia boxes: Many organisation shops will have colourful storage boxes made for storing CDs, Blu-ray Discs and other media. These boxes come in bright candy colours or neutrals. Look for them in stores such as Howards Storage World or Ikea.
Photo keepsake boxes: Storage is very important for homeowners, and many buy leather or decorative keepsake boxes with a slot on top for a photo. Find these at stores such as Paperchase or Hallmark.
Natural canvas boxes: Be ecofriendly for the holidays. Lidded boxes made of organic canvas materials are available in neutral tones of tan or brown, and they double as multi-use storage bins suitable for anyone on your gift shopping list, male or female. Find these at home decor stores.
Heirloom boxes: One of the best ways to give a keepsake box that’s friendly to the environment is to hand down something that has been in the family for generations. When you give a grandmother’s treasured hat box to your daughter, for instance, it’s a sentimental gift. When you fill it with your favourite mementos from your daughter’s childhood, the sentimentality increases exponentially.

And in this financial era, nothing could be more pleasing to you than not having to pay for such a priceless present.
— creators.com

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These stylish handmade DIY gifts are sure to wow

When you think of home-made Christmas gifts, you might think of knit scarves, but do-it-yourself gifts don’t have to be dull. This year, mix it up with clever crafty projects that are sure to wow. These projects don’t require a PhD. in crafting, a pile of fancy tools or a lot of money. They can be completed in an afternoon, and most rely on cleverly repurposed items you can find for a steal at your local discount centre. You might even have the supplies laying around the house.

Found Object Charms
Create personalised charms for necklaces and bracelets from found objects and favourite mementos. With a little wire and a few jewellery findings, you can transform virtually any small, meaningful item into a one-of-a-kind charm or pendant. How about a miniature pencil pendant for teacher? It’s a simple project that makes a big statement.
Cut off the end of a standard pencil so you have a piece measuring two to three inches from the eraser to the end. Re-sharpen the rough end, and secure an inexpensive clasp or bale to the eraser end with a bit of wire, and you have a thoughtful gift with a lot of style. It’s so easy the kids can help.

Personalised Mirror
Transform an old mirror and magazine cutouts into a personalised “reflection” of the recipient. It’s a gift that costs less than Dh30 to make — and it promises to bring constant joy. You will need a framed mirror — small wall mirrors with wide frames work best — an assortment of paper cutouts from magazines or collage sheets, a paint brush
and a jar of glue, available at craft supply stores. Clean the mirror thoroughly, arrange the cutouts, and start gluing. Apply a layer of glue to the frame with the paintbrush, and apply the cutouts. Top with another layer of the adhesive. Let the collage dry overnight. Sign the back, and embellish with a bow for a truly unique gift.

Gourmet Bouquet
You can create your own candy-filled flower arrangement that will really impress friends and family. You will need two cylinder vases — one large and one small enough to fit inside the other; two or three packages of holiday candy like red and green jelly beans or M&Ms and a festive floral bouquet. To make, simply insert the smaller vase into the larger one, and fill the space between the vases with candy. Arrange the candy in layers by hue, or mix it up for a colourful confetti look. Trim the bouquet so that the flowers rest on the edge of the vase with no stems showing. Fill the smaller inner vase with water and place the bouquet inside.
— creators.com