Chocolate Fudge

Home-made Fudge is a luscious addition to any Christmas, either as a gift for a sweet toothed friend or family member or just for the family to eat at Christmas time. Everyone will think you are really good cook to make your own fudge, it will be your secret of how easy it is to make this scrummy chocolate fudge.

Younger Children will need help to melt the chocolate.

To make chocolate fudge you will need...

300g of good Dark Chocolate with a high cocoa percentage (70 cocoa content) The fudge will not work with other chocolate.

400g tin of Condensed milk.

Remember to wash your hands and clean the work surfaces before you begin.

Method...

Break up the chocolate into a microwavable dish. Microwave the Chocolate for 1 minute and stir, repeat again. If the chocolate has still not melted microwave for an extra 20 seconds and stir. Repeat the 20 seconds until the chocolate has melted being careful not to over cook the chocolate.

Then add the tin of condensed milk to the chocolate, stir in well. You will feel the mixture thicken.

Pour into a tin foil lined tin, spread evenly and smooth the top. Allow to cool for a couple of hours.

Take the fudge out of the tin and peel off the tin foil. Cut in to small mouth sized chunks.

Your chocolate fudge is now ready to eat or put into a little box if you are giving it as a gift.

One batch is enough to make two gifts.

Christmas Toffee Treats

Stuck for something to make for Grandad, Dad or your brother? Christmas toffee is always an old favourite, and it's one of Santa's favourites too. It is easy to make but younger children will need some help because you have to use the cook and the mixture gets very hot.

One batch of Christmas Toffee treats is enough to make 2 Christmas Gifts.

To make Christmas Toffee Treats you will need...

1 lb sugar

1/3 pint water

1 and a quarter ozs butter

2 level tablespoons golden syrup

1 teaspoon vinegar

Remember to wash your hands and clean the work surfaces before you begin.

Method...

Put the water, butter and vinegar into a large saucepan and as it heats slowly add the sugar and syrup gradually to avoid burning. Stir over a steady heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Bring to the boil and cook slowly for about 15 minutes or so.

To test for consistency stage drop about half a teaspoon of the mixture into a cup of cold water, if it sets hard then it is done, if still soft and chewy cook for a little longer and test again.

Pour into oiled or buttered tin, make sure you use a tin and not anything pot or glass because this will make it very hard to get the toffee out once it has hardened. After about 10 minutes or so mark in squares as toffee becomes partially set. This will enable you to break the toffee up when completely set.

Put your broken up toffee pieces into a small plastic box or a clean jam jar and make a colourful label to stick on the front to say what's inside and the date it was made.

One batch is enough to make two gifts.