Gourmet Gifts
Save money and add a personal touch by creating holiday presents right on your stovetop.
The recent economic turmoil may have us all scrambling for ways to save a few bucks wherever we can, and the holidays are no exception. I suggest creating homemade treats right on your stovetop to save bucks and because no one NEEDS another sweater, set of argyle socks or scented candle. Most of those items just get rewrapped and re-gifted anyway, with the nagging fear that something will be given back to the original gift-giver.
On the other hand, I look forward every year to edible gifts, such as a jar of creamy fudge sauce or a bag of caramel popcorn. These never get re-gifted. Spending time in the kitchen can be a relaxing way to enjoy the season and to express your creativity. And if you have little helpers around, you'll be making memories that last a lifetime, too. So turn on some Christmas music and whip up a few batches of walnut caramels with sea salt.
This recipe comes from our friend Emily Luchetti, who helped me get over my fear of cooking sugar when we were doing the "Holiday Table" series on WQED tv13. When they're done, the caramels look and taste just like the ones that cost $16 per pound in the gourmet-candy stores. With all the money you save, you can buy yourself some argyle socks.
Walnut Caramels
Makes 120 1-inch caramels |
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Ingredients:
4 cups heavy cream
11/3 cups light corn syrup
11/3 cups honey
2 cups sugar
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
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Instructions:
Grease bottom and sides of 9-by-13-inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the top of the parchment paper. Combine cream, corn syrup, honey and sugar in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until a candy thermometer reads 260 degrees. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, kosher salt and vanilla. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt over the caramels. Cool. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Roll individually in waxed paper.
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| Sugar and Spice Walnuts |
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Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups shelled walnuts
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Instructions:
Slowly dissolve the sugar and water in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Gently stir in the salt and spices. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 238 degrees. Turn off the heat and gently stir in the nuts. Continue stirring and coating the nuts until the mixture turns creamy and then granular. The nuts will start to separate. Pour out onto a tray to cool then store in an airtight container.
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| Chocolate-Covered Pretzels |
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Ingredients:
1 pound milk chocolate wafers
1 pound miniature pretzels
2 ounces red chocolate wafers
2 ounces green chocolate wafers
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Instructions:
In a large glass bowl, melt the milk chocolate in the microwave. Start with 1 minute then stir and put back for another 15 seconds and stir again. Continue until the chocolate is completely melted and soft. Do not burn. Add the pretzels and stir to coat. Pour them out onto a sheet of parchment paper and spread with a silicon spatula into a single layer. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Melt the red chocolates in a glass bowl, then the green chocolates in a separate bowl and pour into a pastry bag or squeeze bottle to drizzle evenly over the chocolate-covered pretzels. When they are completely dry and hard, you can break up the pretzels and store them in an airtight container or portion for gifts.
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