Juliet Sear's edible Christmas gifts
Juliet Sear makes some tasty stocking fillers - homemade Irish liqueur, limoncello and clemencello, peppermint meringue kisses and Parmesan and thyme biscuits!
Homemade Irish liqueur
Makes approximately 1ltr, to decant into small bottles for gifts
Ingredients
350ml Irish whiskey
300ml single cream
1 x 397ml can of sweetened condensed milk
1-2 x tablespoons chocolate sauce (to taste, all brands vary in intensity)
1 x pure vanilla extract
2-3 tsp Camp coffee syrup (to taste) - if you cannot get hold of Camp you can use a teaspoon or two of strong instant coffee powder or granules.
½ tsp almond extract
Method
1. The best way to make this is add everything to a large blender and blitz for about 20-30 seconds until fully blended and smooth. Taste as you go, all brands of choc sauce and coffee vary so add more in to taste if you need a bit more flavour.
2. Decant into sterilised swing top bottles and labels for gifts. Store in the fridge for up to two months.
3. Shake well before pouring over ice
Limoncello and clemencello
Makes approximately 1.7ltrs, to decant into small bottles for gifts
Ingredients
7/8 (lemons, unwaxed and organic if possible, skins peeled, zest only, no pith) or 10-12 clementines in place of lemons make a lovely clementine version)
1 x 70cl bottle of vodka ideally 40% alcohol strength, you can use less but the stronger the vodka the better, I used Stolichnaya
500 ml boiling water
500g white caster sugar
Method
1. In a large bottle or jar, steep the peels in the alcohol and leave in a cool dark place, ideally for a week
2. Shake the jar as often as you can, at least once a day to make it really citrusy and lovely
3. Make the sugar syrup by pouring the boiling water over the caster sugar in a large heat proof bowl, stirring until the granules have completely dissolved in the water
4. Pour the sugar syrup into the jar, stir well. Leave to infuse in a cool dark place, shake regularly. It will be ready after a week.
5. Strain into sterilised bottles. You can add a couple of pretty peels into each gift bottle if you wish. Best served chilled.
Peppermint meringue kisses
Makes: approximately 30
Ingredients
4 medium free range egg whites at room temperature
200g white caster sugar
Optional, pinch of cream of tartar
1 tsp peppermint extract
Red and green paste gel colours (Dr O works well)
300g dark chocolate, melted
8-10 candy canes, blitzed to crush up into small pieces
Equipment
Large plastic piping bag with round nozzle (1cm or if not snip a hole in the bag)
Baking tray/s lined with parchment paper
Electric whisk, stand mixer or by hand with a balloon whisk
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 120C
2. Whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease free bowl until a stiff peak
3. Gradually add in the caster sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until fully incorporated in between each addition. If using, add in the cream of tartar.
4. When fully mixed, stiff and glossy, add in the peppermint extract and whisk though quickly
5. Paint inside the piping bag with the colours in stripes, fill the bag, and pipe the kisses onto trays with a little space in between as they will expand when they bake
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins, then reduce the temperature to 100C and bake until completely dry and crisp. Leave to cool in the oven completely or overnight with the door closed.
7. Decorate by dipping in the melted chocolate followed by candy cane crush
8. Place onto parchment paper lined trays to set.
Parmesan and thyme biscuits
Serves: Makes approximately 30 biscuits
Ingredients
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
70ml extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp coarse sea salt
450g plain flour, sifted, plus extra for rolling
120g parmesan, finely grated
Method
1. In a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on low until smooth for about 1 to 2 minutes
2. Add the oil, thyme and salt and beat for another 1 to 2 minutes until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again on high until fluffy.
3. Add the flour and 90g of the cheese and mix on low until the dough begins to come together. Beat for another minute.
4. Bring the dough into a ball, wrap and chill for at least 30 mins (you can leave it in the fridge overnight)
5. Preheat the oven to 180C
6. On a work surface, lightly dusted with flour, roll out the dough to approximately 1cm thick and then cut into rounds. Place on the tray and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (You can re roll the scraps a couple of times.)
7. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the edges are golden. Leave to cool on the trays to firm up then package as desired.
Note: These will last for up to a week, if you wish to prolong the shelf life, wrap well so they are airtight and store in the fridge for a few weeks, bring to room temperature before eating