Edible Gifts and Holiday Bakes
Our Edible Gifts and Holiday Bakes cooking class has become somewhat of an annual tradition in the Bibby’s kitchen. The smell of browned butter mingled with caramelised sugar beads on baking trays, enriched breads and cakes, and pot-bellied glass jars filled with fruity preserves, fill the air. Then I know, it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Holiday Gifting
With holiday gifting in mind, I thought it would be rather lovely, and useful, to share some of the most popular edible gifts and holiday bakes on the website to help fill your gifting basket with an abundance of delicious choices. We’ll be bottling chutneys and jams, diving head-first into the cookie jar and whipping up charming seasonal cakes that double as dessert. PS. The Lime Zest Matchstick Shortbread pictured above, is from my latest cookbook, Bibby’s More Good Food.
Holiday Cookies and Biscuits
Imbued with all the familiar spices that define holiday baking, these classic gingerbread biscuits remain a seasonal cookie jar favourite.
With their crisp buttery texture and jammy filling, Linzer Cookies are for the discerning cookie eater. Dust lightly with powered sugar for a festive finish.
My mother loves a crisp cookie, more a biscuit, if you will. She’s especially fond of coconut, so these Crisp Coconut Cookies are right up her alley. They keep well for quite some time and make really good ice cream sandwiches, too.
My Sesame Shortbread Rounds from the first cookbook has been a huge favourite with readers over the years. I make them regularly. They’re sort of Middle Eastern in character which means I love them even more! You’ll find the recipe in Bibby’s More Good Food. Only available from the Online Shop.
There’s not a biscuit or cookie from the Ottolenghi stable that I would not trust, these toothsome Anzac biscuits being one of them. Filled with all things wholesome, including bran flakes for extra crunch, they’re baked on repeat. The recipe is from Ottolenghi and Helen Gogh baking book, Sweet.
Arguably one of South Africa’s most famous biscuits, The Crunchie. I’ve whipped them into a somewhat healthier shape with wholemeal flour, coconut oil, honey and seeds. A house favourite and perfectly sturdy to survive road trips and beach holidays.
No holiday cookie bake will be complete without a decent Chocolate Chip Cookie. I’ve included two recipe options. One, a pan-banging, Halva Chocolate Chip cookie, the other a nougat clustered chocolate chip cookie. Both are incredibly good and properly enriched with chunky chocolate bits.
And if you don’t feel like baking from scratch, curating your own cookie box couldn’t be easier. Here are a few cookie decorating tips using Bakers Biscuits.
The addition of oats in this Ginger and oat shortbread lends a toothsome bite and nutty taste to the crumb. Ginger imparts a mild sort of heat and depth of flavour. I’d suggest doubling the recipe. One for the house, the other for gifting.
My Go-to Recipe for the Best Mince Pies
The recipe for my Cookie Cutter Mince Pies is pretty straight forward. You’ll need one jar of ready made fruit mince, a handful of chopped pecan nuts, cranberries and a splash of brandy. Create playful festive patterned pastry tops to cover the fruit mince and bake until a golden.
Holiday Cakes and Bakes
Underneath white snow-cones, lies the marriage of two favourites – Sticky toffee pudding & Christmas cake. Now you can have your cake and pudding in one!
Heavily laced with all the warming spices you’d expect from a traditional Christmas cake but with a lighter sponge texture. It tastes and looks like Christmas should. Special. You’ll find the recipe for my whimsical biscuit clad Gingerbread village cake here.
Even though Christmas falls in summer here in the Southern hemisphere, Gingerbread is synonymous with holiday baking. As far as fuss-free baking goes, you just can’t beat a good bundt. This recipe remains a yearly favourite on the blog. If you’re not enamoured with a traditional fruit cake, I think you may like this Gingerbread cake instead.
Monkey bread is ideal for sharing. A crowd pleaser that needs neither slicing nor fancy frosting. Not that it needs a side, but I do so love options, so it comes with a Milk Tart Mousse for dipping. The recipe is from Ebook, Beautiful Home Food.
Sweet Treats and Truffles
If you’re looking for a truffle less ordinary, head straight for my latest book, Bibby’s More Good Food. These Olive Oil & Bourbon Truffles are a sensory delight for chocolate lovers.
African Amarula gilded chocolate truffles, inspired by Africa’s very own cream liqueur and embellished with edible gold leaf. The earthy exterior that belies a meltingly smooth centre.
Dates are a staple in my kitchen. I love them for their caramel-ish taste and sticky texture. They’re especially good with thick Greek yoghurt and a drizzle of honey. They’re also one of the key ingredients in this Matcha date fudge. A decadent yet healthy alternative to traditional candy.
Homemade Curds
Citrus curds are super simple to make. I’m particularly fond of granadillas, their tart tang contrasting the sweetness of the curd perfectly. Swirl through whipped cream, then fold in lightly crushed meringues for a quick Eton Mess or dollop over a festive summery pavlova.
To balance the acidity of this Ruby Grapefruit Curd, I’ve added a little lemon juice. Its sour character brightens and lifts the taste. An important step here is to reduce the volume of juice to concentrate the flavours and yield a nett volume of 80ml.
Possibly one of the most useful lemon curd recipes you can have in your repertoire. My grandmother used to say, quick as one-two-six. For everyone with a lemon tree, you’ll know what to do.
Preserves
Preserves capture the essence of a season. For me, there is nothing more nostalgic then preserving perfectly ripe summer fruits to enjoy in the long winter months ahead. While this practice might seem old school, the reward is truly satisfying. Besides the obvious reward of stocking the larder, preserves are the perfect edible gift. My Sweet Chilli Tomato Jam makes a great accompaniment to any cheese board.
If you’re not already an avid fan, now’s the time to jump on board. Chilli crisp is good with nearly everything, from scrambled eggs, to avocado toast and many Asian inspired dishes. It comes with an ‘addictive’ disclaimer. The recipe is in the latest cookbook.
For all our overseas readers, Bibby’s More Good Food is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Delivery to Australia, approximately 3-7 days.
