Every year I ask everyone I am going to give a gift to, “What do you want for Christmas?” and most of the time I am left with “I don’t know.” Well this year I am going to take a cue from husband whose motto is “Get something you think they will like, don’t wait for them to give you a list.” If you know grandma has a sweet tooth, bake her something special. Here are some easy and delicious homemade goodies that would be perfect gifts for anyone.
Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti
Who doesn’t like to dunk yumminess into their morning coffee?
Makes 2 ½ dozen
1 c all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk 1/2 c sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 c canola oil 1/2 c walnuts, coarsely chopped 3 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup) 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the vanilla and oil until well combined. With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough will be stiff).
With moistened hands, shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Transfer logs to a cutting board, and with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2 inch thick. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Holiday Almonds with White Chocolate and Cranberries
Everyone loves munchies, so why not make your gifts this year? Homemade granola or mixed nuts are easy to make and are an eco-option too.
Makes 4 pint jars
4 cups raw almonds 1 T salt 2 c white chocolate chips 2 c dried cranberries
Fill sauce pot with almonds and cover with water. Add salt and let sit on counter for 24 hours. Drain almonds and put on baking sheet. Bake at 170 or use a dehydrator at 170 for 24 hours. Test almonds and make sure they are crisp and not still soggy. Let almonds chill.
Mix almonds, chocolate, and cranberries together and put into glass jars. Decorate jar with ribbon or bow and you’re done!