Everyone loves food at Christmas time – it’s the season for indulgence and the excuse for pure luxury to be enjoyed and shared with family and friends. Here are some ideas of tasty gifts you can make for others. Some ideas have links to recipes on our Babies Club website and for others simply Google or search good sites like foodlovers.co.nz.

• Blend olive oil, parmesan, garlic and your choice of herbs and nuts for a chunky pesto. Keep in an airtight container and top with a light film of oil. It can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. Give as a gift with oatcakes, a luxury brand of pasta or wholegrain crackers.
• Florentine butter is a fruit spread similar in flavour to Florentine biscuits and is made from butter, sugar, brandy, chocolate, seeds, dried fruit, peel and almonds. Spread on warm toasted brioche or as an alternative to brandy butter.
  Parmesan cheese sables or cheese straws sprinkled with poppy seeds, sesame seeds or paprika are easy to make. Combined with a chutney and a bottle of red wine they make a great gift.
• Make mini Christmas plum puddings in mini muffin tins or cupcake cases. Upon cooling, drizzle with white chocolate and red and green glace cherries (the green representing holly leaves and the red holly berries).
• Make your own muesli jam packed with dried fruits and nuts. Serve in a fancy jar or container that can be reused.
• Petite fruit loafs or cakes are a cute gift. Make your recipe as usual but pour into mini tins. For a more substantial gift, leave the loaf or cake in the tin and give both, tied with ribbon.
• Gingerbread doesn’t have to be for children in the shape of men. Use heart, star and number cookie cutters. Dust with icing sugar.
• Biscotti can be consumed as an alternative to biscuits or dipped in coffee. It has a long shelf life when stored in an airtight container. For a memorable gift, fill a new cup or mug with biscotti, wrap with cellophane and tie with raffia or a large ribbon.
• Oatcakes are a Scottish staple and can be topped with savoury or sweet toppings. Bake your own and wrap up a bundle of eight or so with a beautiful ribbon or raffia.
• Bake some mini Christmas mince pies either using home-made or shop bought mincemeat. The pre-made party sold in sheets makes this really easy and with a star cookie cutter the mince pies look wonderfully festive.
• Individualise your gift by making cookie name tags. Using plain cookie or shortbread dough, roll thinly and with a sharp knife (and cardboard cut-out if you don’t trust yourself) cut into gift tag shapes. Bake as per usual and upon cooling, ice with the recipients name and address using icing pens or homemade icing through a fine piping bag.
• Infuse olive oil with lemon or orange zest, rosemary, pepper corns, bay leaves, thyme or garlic cloves. Pour into an attractive bottle and top with a rubber stopper.
• Make your own hot chocolate mix by processing high quality cocoa, dark chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean and nutmeg until the mixture is powdery. Store in an airtight container and cover with a festive swatch of fabric.
• Make your own caramel popcorn and bag in cellophane bags.
• Toffee almonds make a lovely gift, packaged in a glass jar with a ribbon round the top.
• Add dry ingredients for chocolate brownie or chocolate chip cookies  in the correct quantities in a tall transparent glass jar. Start with lighter ingredients such as flour, cocoa and sugar then layer with chocolate pieces and nuts. Provide the recipe on the back of a gift tag and tie a wooden spoon to the jar with a pretty ribbon and you have a superb gift. All that’s required are the wet ingredients such as egg, milk and butter.
• Roast nuts in the oven with smoked paprika, cumin, a small amount of chili powder, brown sugar and whisked egg white.
• Fill ice-cream waffle cones with sweets or chocolates and wrap with cellophane for an innovative way of providing treats.
• Chocolate dip fresh figs and strawberries. Use white and dark chocolate for variety.
• There’s nothing like homemade jam made using the wonderful summer berry fruit for a gift. Handwrite the flavour and ingredients on a gift tag and accompany with a festive fabric swatch.
• Bag together homemade fudge and truffles.
• Make your own tapenade from black olives, capers, garlic and oil. Accompany with crackers, pasta or freshly baked bread.

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