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
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
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love
A collaborative effort from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team
Designed to help you make the most of your pantry, fridge, and freezer
With recipes ranging from one-pot feasts to sumptuous bakes
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
Candied peel, cranberries and glacé cherries makes 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
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
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.
