Hi everyone and I hope you are all set now on the home stretch before the festive holidays. We have had a such a fantastic last week here at Ballyknocken House & Cookery School . Our 12 days of Christmas recipes are still going out every day in the lead up to the main event and are packed full of great recipes gadget ideas and top tips such as edible gift ideas, turkey roasting tips and how to spice up those sprouts.
The phone has been buzzing with all our lovely customers picking up Ballyknocken Christmas Vouchers thank you so much for choosing Ballyknocken for the special gift for your loved ones. You can still pick up a last minute voucher here or call the office on 0404 44627 and Sharon will take care of you.
This week I would like to share this idea for edible gifts that really shows thought and they are loved by all. They can be put in a lovely jar and look really fab under the tree.
Amaretti Biscuits
Tip : Edible gifts show you’ve taken the time and effort to make them for the lucky recipient! It can be a great way of spending time with the kids at this busy time of year. We know they’re popular because our edible gift class always sells out!
Amaretti Biscuits
Makes 40
350g ground almonds
350g caster sugar
4 egg whites
1 ½ tbsp amaretto
Butter, for greasing
Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas 4.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently mix in the sugar, amaretto and almonds.Place some baking parchment on a baking tray and butter lightly. Using a teaspoon place small dollops (about 2cm) onto the sheet. Bake for 12–15 minutes until a pale golden brown. Leave to set on the baking tray, as they are quite soft at this stage. The will harden as they cool. Tip: Add 2 tbsp of dried cranberries to the mixture.
Here are my six stress busters for Christmas that I would like to share with you all
- Take a walk on the wild side – get fresh air and down time, five mins meditation can go a long way
- It’s not a competition – it’s about family time
- Plan – write lists, call it old-school but I am a great believer in writing lists
- Delegate – usually people want to help so share the load
- Prepare what you can ahead of time
- Less is more – alternate your alcoholic drinks so you’re not over-doing it.
Finally my Christmas dinner gadget of the week I love is this gorgeous flour sifter from Brown Thomas 
Have a wonderful time with family and friends this Christmas and I will be back in the New Year with more recipes, tips and news
Catherine
catherinefulvio 