Christmas Hamper Ideas

[Sim]

Does any body else plan on making hampers of homemade goods as Christmas gifts this year?

After seeing the home made vanilla extract thread, I thought they would be nice as part of a hamper.

I was going to try and do most things in the TM. Are there any fellow hamper makers on this forum? If so, what are you making this year?

[judydawn]

This sounds like a great idea Sim. We will be away on a cruise this Christmas but this is certainly something I will keep in mind for birthday presents as well.  There are so many things to choose from - washing machine goo/powder, lemon butter, pate, dips, a batch of the dry pancake mixture someone posted (you just add the wet ingredients), cookies, muffins, chutneys, jams - the list is endless.  Some things would have to be kept in the fridge until the last minute but what a wonderful basket you could present.  I used to do this pre-TMX and used to make batches of almond bread, beetroot spread, honey mustard and little tidbits like rum balls etc.  I'd put them in little tupperware type containers or fancy glass jars and hand them out at any pre-Christmas gatherings of friends or on Christmas day to family.  They loved it.

[Sundari]

I've been thinking about it. I'm doing the vanilla extract also.
You could do things like macadamia or almond spread. Even the stock paste would be a nice gift.

I think I need to find jars though. Any ideas?

[judydawn]

Those $2 shops sell decorative glass jars with the glass lids held on by wire - things looks nice in them.

[Sim]

I put an add on the free classifieds asking for jars.... fingers crossed. I think I will put some signs up at my local shop too.
Last year I put an add on there asking for fruit from backyard fruit trees, I got about 10-15kg of free apricots and plums. People hate the fruit falling on their lawn and they don't want to pick them... so I just take a box and pick them for them and take them home. Pretty sweet deal!

I also have a mate that works at a bar, and I have asked him in the past to reserve any clear wine bottles for cordial making.

I have bought jars from here before:
https://shop.newdirections.com.au/epages/newdirections.sf/secFc5I7e8V__s/?ObjectPath=/Shops/newdirections/Categories/16
Its cheaper the more you buy so I guess if people live in the same place they could do a bulk order together,

Some ideas I had were:
Jam
Cordial (lemon or orange)
Vanilla extract
Body products
Relish
Flavoured vodka
Baked things
Chilli plants + chill chocolate drinking powder (we have some chilli loving friends)

More ideas the better though! Keep them coming!

[I Love Bimby!]

you could also do your own chocolates, biscotti, crackers, cake mixes (like the dry pancake mix).

For gluten free friends you could make up your own GF Baking Powder, Rice flours, Bread Mix with the dry ingredients....

Maybe if you have a tmx friend you could put together a recipe book of your favourite recipes?

You could als do infused oils and seasoned salts (PM me if you'd like some more info as they're not my recipes to post).

[faffa_70]

Yes I did some last year and put in at the last minute butter, stocks, curry paste, mayo and flavoured mayo's etc in there (think I spent a day in the kitchen making up those last minute things) it was really easy. These went down like a treat.

On top of that I included spice mixes that are posted here made fresh, garam masala that is in the EDC.

I can't remember off the top of my head what else but am sure I wrote them down so will hunt it out as I would like to do it again.

Sharing idea's here will make it easy for everyone  

[Sim]

  Yes, I am sure with all our thinking caps on we could all make super-duper hampers.

Mmmm... I have an awesome curry powder recipe that I found a while back, all my friends love it so I think I should put that in the hampers. I have been wanting to do it in the TM, last time it did it in my spice grinder small batches a time. The TM is like the queen of all spice grinders so it should be easier!

I think homemade butters are sweet idea too, because they are such a simple pleasure that most people don't experience.

I can't wait! I love packaging food into cute jars and bundles.

[faffa_70]

Wellll, we just had a look through the Indian Cookbook trying to decide what to cook for dinner and there are a heap of spice mix and paste recipes in there as well 

[cathy79]

I think I need to find jars though. Any ideas?

I've been going to St Vincents and buying jars.  Amongst the ugly jars, they have some nice glass jars with the rubber stoppers from Moccona coffee.  They scrub up very nicely.  You can even paint them and add a bit of decoupage if you're crafty.

I'm tempted to try a rum ball recipe - I'm sure I saw one around here somewhere.

[Thermo convert]

I've got the vanilla essence on the go. Will do some lemon butter. Like my own recipe as it makes twice as much as the recipe book states and I think from memory it has less sugar. (Can't be bothered getting up to check) It's certainly easier in the Thermomix.
Must have missed the dry pancake mix. Can anybody tell me where it is?
This site is a great source of ideas.

[Gralke]

The pumpkin and tomato jam  (will post today) is also nice for the hamper.

[judydawn]

Must have missed the dry pancake mix. Can anybody tell me where it is?

Here 'tis

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=1617.0

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=1617.0 - extra link

[Gralke]

Readings Sim's suggestions I remembered that I once made a curry paste (beautifull!) which lasts forever in a jar in the fridge - made it in the TM and tinted the MC green (LOL) and the lid had a funny smell for days - nevertheless the end product was worth it. I do another batch, take some photos and post the recipe as that would also be a nice thing for the hamper - and the ingredients are not pricey.

[Gralke]

Getting back to the Christmas hamper idea (I love it) I saw a recipe in the "Bimby Traditional Portuguese Recipe Book" of marzipan cakes - base is dead easy to do and one just needs a little talent in forming the fruit and painting with food colouring.
Photo from book:

I will post the recipe later and look for some more photos