Love Your Neighbour

Christmas Gifts for the Sharing

An easy recipe for Christmas gifts

Every year Christmas brings a great reason to connect with friends and family . . . but what about neighbours?

These easy—and delicious—Mini Christmas puddings, are all you need to drop-in on people in your street, your block of flats, or perhaps campers nearby while on holiday!

It’s the perfect time of year to be neighbourly and connect or re-connect, and it’s a great way to very simply remind others about the real meaning of Christmas. All you have to do is ask, “Do you know the real meaning of Christmas?” during your “Hi and Merry Christmas!” chat.

Wrap the mini puddings individually, so you can go prepared with a basketful, and have plenty on hand to offer enough for one per person in each household. They also make fantastic tree ornaments.

Mini Christmas Puddings

Makes approximately 50 mini puddings

CLICK HERE for print-friendly version

Ingredients

• 1 x 700-800g store bought dark fruitcake
• 1 x 600g store bought chocolate mud cake
• 50g butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon imitation cherry brandy liqueur (alternatively, use 2 teaspoons vanilla essence or experiment with flavoured topping such as caramel or raspberry)
• 500g good quality dark cooking chocolate
• 6 green glacé cherries or mint leaves, cut into tiny leaf shapes
• Red mini M&Ms
• 300g white cooking chocolate
• Clear cello wrap paper or bags
• Silver, red or green ribbon

Method

• Finely crumble fruit cake and mud cake (including the icing) and mix together.
• Melt 100g of the dark chocolate together with the butter and the imitation cherry brandy liqueur or vanilla essence. Stir thoroughly into the crumbled cakes.
• Scoop a heaped tablespoonful (approx 30g) of the mixture into your hand, and press together into a dome shape.
• Place each mini pudding onto a tray, and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Melt remaining 400 g dark chocolate in a small bowl.
• Dip the bottom two-thirds of each chilled pudding and place on baking paper to set.
• Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top of each pudding to resemble brandy sauce. While still warm, place two red mini M&Ms and two tiny leaves on top of the puddings to look like holly.
• Once the puddings have set, gift-wrap them individually using cello wrap or bags. Tie with ribbon to finish.
• You could also add name tags, and tie the ribbon in a loop suitable for attaching to a Christmas tree.

GO BACK to Heartlands Summer 2024-25 >

---

To find out about EmpowHer events and activities for women in Tasmania, subscribe to HEARTLANDS EmpowHer News.