I bet many of us are in the same boat. Life keeps humming along, busy as usual, then suddenly it's mid-December... and Christmas is just around the corner. One of my favorite ways to slow down and enjoy the season is to spend some time in the kitchen. Handwritten labels, pretty ribbon, and simple wrapping–there's just something special about a homemade gift. If you can spare just an hour (or less) this weekend, you can put together something more thoughtful than anything you can buy in a store. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1. Vanilla Sugar: Use a ratio of 1 vanilla bean per two cups of granulated sugar. My favorite beans are the Bourbon variety from Singing Dog Vanilla, available online. Split the bean and scrape the seeds into the sugar. Grind the mixture in a food processor and pass through a strainer to get the large bits out. Dust vanilla sugar on top of pie crusts, dip sugar cookies in it just before baking, or just sprinkle a little in your coffee.
2. Hot Cocoa Mix: Use a ratio of 1 part cocoa powder to 2 parts granulated sugar. The cocoa powder you use makes a huge difference in flavor. If you can, splurge for the good stuff! I recommend Valrhona. To spice things up a bit, add some ground cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg or ginger to your mix. Serious Eats has a great marshmallow-making tutorial if you want to make your gift complete.
3. Mulled Cider Spice Kit: Get some cheesecloth and make a pretty pouch of spices that can be dropped into a steaming pot of cider. Or, fill a vintage mason jar with layers of star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and coriander. You could also accompany your gift with an apple-friendly liquor, such as calvados or even plain brandy.
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