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Last-minute edible Christmas gifts

by Jessica Lockyer-Palmer

published on 30 November 2023

Want to give your loved ones something a bit more thoughtful this Christmas? Even if it’s the eleventh hour, there’s still time to make anything from white-chocolate dipped biscotti to Christmas pudding petit fours.

The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen's Almond, Barberry and Orange Brittle with Aleppo Chilli

The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s Almond, Barberry and Orange Brittle with Aleppo Chilli

by The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Team

Easy to make but full of complex flavours, the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s brittle is studded with barberries, nuts, and seeds, and flavoured with orange zest and a touch of Aleppo chilli. Bag this up as a sophisticated and surprising gift.

From the book

Yotam Ottolenghi, Noor Murad

Chocolate Salami

Nadiya Hussain’s Chocolate Salami

Nadiya’s creative twist on tiffin, this chocolate salami is made with macadamia nuts and shortbread chunks. It’s a no-bake recipe, and takes just twenty minutes to prepare.

white chocolate biscotti

White Chocolate Biscotti

by Jane Dunn

Dipped in white chocolate and your choice of freeze dried raspberries or chopped nuts, these pretty biscotti won’t disappoint.

Bread Ahead’s Amaretti Biscuits

Bread Ahead’s Amaretti Biscuits

by Matthew Jones, Justin Gellatly, Louise Gellatly

These soft, cakey and gluten-free biscuits with a slight crunch on the outside are made with ground almonds, egg white and sugar. We recommend saving a couple for yourself this Christmas and enjoying them as per Italian tradition with an after-dinner liqueur. 

Cranberry, Oat and White Chocolate Biscuits

Cranberry, Oat and White Chocolate Biscuits

by Helen Goh, Yotam Ottolenghi
from Sweet

Tart cranberries, chewy oats, nutty almonds and a rich, white chocolate coating make these an all-rounder for Christmas. 

Nadiya Hussain’s Raspberry Amaretti Biscuits

Nadiya Hussain’s Raspberry Amaretti Biscuits

“Home-made amaretti are the best”, says Nadiya of these soft almondy bites with a subtle hint of raspberry. With fresh fruit in the middle, these biscuits don’t have a long shelf-life but they make a beautiful gift all the same. Nadiya suggests using freeze-dried raspberries if you want them to last longer.

Christmas Pud Petit Fours

Christmas Pud Petit Fours

by Sarah Rainey

Use up the last of the Christmas pud with these mini bites, ready in just six minutes. Simply crumble Christmas pudding into dark melted chocolate, give it a mix with some nutmeg, then roll into little balls. Decorate with melted white chocolate.

Pecan and Prosecco Truffles

Pecan and Prosecco Truffles

by Yotam Ottolenghi, Helen Goh
from Sweet

These Prosecco truffles, shaped into Yule logs, were made for the Christmas menu at the Ottolenghi restaurant. With a thin shell and rich, smooth truffle underneath, they’re irresistibly elegant.

Florentines

Florentines

by Lizzie Kamenetzky

Candied peel, cranberries and glacé cherries make these chewy caramelly biscuits a Christmas classic. Package into boxes or cellophane bags with ribbon to give as Christmas gifts.

Jamie Oliver’s Rocky Road with Popcorn, Nuts, Clementine, Ginger, Soured Fruit and Chocolate

Jamie Oliver’s Rocky Road with Popcorn, Nuts, Clementine, Ginger, Soured Fruit and Chocolate

This throw-it-all-in sweet treat is a colourful megamix of popcorn, Turkish delight, marshmallows, gingernut biscuits, nuts, clementine, ginger, soured fruit and chocolate. Once ready, break it into random chunks or slice up more delicately, then bag it up to give away.

Three Ingredient Oreo Fudge

Three Ingredient Oreo Fudge

by Sarah Rainey

White chocolate, Oreos and condensed milk are all you need to make these last-minute bites. If you don’t have Oreo cookies, try this with chocolate digestives, Hobnobs or bourbon biscuits.

Gingerbread Truffles

by Eloise Head

Who knew just three ingredients could create a gift that tastes this good? In these truffles, subtle white chocolate encases a gooey cream cheese and gingerbread middle.

Coconut and Orange Granola

by Jo Scarratt-Jones

A gloriously crunchy combination of some of our favourite festive flavours – zesty orange, vanilla and cranberries. With just twenty minutes’ prep and cook time, it makes for a perfect last-minute treat to present in bags or jars for family or friends.

Two Nuts to Nibble

Take your pick from these two salty, moreish nut recipes, each requiring just six ingredients and less than half an hour of your time. Dominique’s black pepper and chilli cashews or five-spice roasted peanuts are the perfect low-effort, maximum-flavour gift.

Chilli Chocolate Nut Clusters

These three-ingredient nut clusters are giving salty, sugary, chocolatey goodness and best of all, they’re giving heat. They make for an inspiring last-minute present but be warned they’re particularly moreish and you’d be forgiven for eating most of them yourself…

Christmas crinkle cookies

Clissold Park Christmas Crinkle Cookies

by Debora Robertson

Package up these chocolate and vanilla cookies from Debora Robertson’s Notes From A Small Kitchen Island, for a special festive gift for loved ones. For extra decadence, add shards of milk or dark chocolate into the batter.

Negroni Marmalade

Negroni Marmalade

by Debora Robertson

A jar of this sticky, sweet, boozy jam is a sure fire win for fans of a negroni. The bitterness of the Campari pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the blood oranges.

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