Homemade Christmas Treats

 

 

I am resharing two amazing, palate tickling recipes for homemade Christmas treats. If you were wondering what treats to make to surprise your friends and family for Christmas, think no longer for Boyana's has just offered a fantastic solution.

 

 

Hot Chocolate on a stick

  for 10 chocolate cubes

• 200 g chocolate (i use dark, but also milk chocolate can be used)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 5 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
• 10 ice-cream or lollipop sticks

 
Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over a pot of simmering water. Remove from heat, add the cocoa and sugar and stir until everything is equally incorporated. If it’s too thick, put the saucepan back over the hot water and continue stirring. Be careful not to let any water come in the chocolate, because it will seize-up.
When everything is mixed well you’ll have a thick, but still pourable mixture. Pour it in the ice cube tray, put a stick in the middle of every cube and leave at room temperature to harden. When the cubes are completely cooled and hardened, remove them from the ice cube tray and keep at room temperature in a air-tight container.
When you want a cup of hot chocolate, just dip the cube in a cup of hot milk and stir until it is dissolved.
You can add spices like cinnamon or cloves to the mixture or even a pinch of hot paprika for a Mexican hot chocolate.

 

 

QUINCE IN SYRUP

for a 400 ml jar:

• 1 large quince
• 300 ml water
• 125 g brown sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• a few strips of lemon zest
• 4 – 5 slices of fresh ginger
• 2 tea bags black tea (I used earl grey)

Peel and core the quince and cut it into thin slices. Put it in a pot with everything else, except the tea bags and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. Add the tea bags and and let steep for 5 minutes, then remove them.
Cook the quince on low for 20 minutes, covered and then 10 more minutes uncovered, or until the slices are tender but don’t fall apart and the syrup has thickened a little. Remove the lemon zest and ginger slices.
Pour the quince slices and the syrup into a clean jar, close the lid, gently tap on the counter to release air bubbles and leave to cool to room temperature. Store in the fridge for a few weeks.

Recipes and images courtesy of Sitno Seckano.