Edible Gifts for Teachers

This year, the same as last, we made our end-of-term teacher gifts. The teachers and teaching assistants at my boys school are fantastic and do an outstanding job, but unfortunately I don't have the funds to spend on fancy gifts. Also, I think that the staff at school as a whole - the receptionists, cleaners, the headteacher and deputy and the family link workers, everyone - all deserve something nice for everything they do for my kids during term time. So, the boys and I made them some yummy gifts which we take in at the beginning of the final week of school, so it can go in the staff room and be enjoyed by all.

We made our trusty Christmas Rocky Road using Nigella's fantastic recipe, the boys got stuck in bashing the brazils & shortbread and cutting up the cherries and it came out looking divine. I'm going to have to make some more for us to have at home I think!

We also made this delicious and simple White Chocolate and Cranberry Fudge recipe that I came across on a supermarket website, with great results! I'm not the best at making fudge but this turned out lovely and looks nice & Christmassy too!

350g / 12 oz granulated sugar
25g / 1 oz unsalted butter
6 fl oz / 170 ml evaporated milk
100g / 3 1/2 oz dried cranberries
300g / 10 oz white chocolate

- Put the butter, sugar and evaporated milk in a heavy based saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to the boil, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in cranberries and white chocolate, allowing the chocolate to melt. Quickly stir and then pour into your prepared container (a shallow 10x8 tin or a loaf tin will suffice).
- Spread into the container and and allow to cool, before placing in the fridge to chill and set for an hour or two.
- Cut into squares and gift wrap them ready to give away as a gift (or just eat it, that works too!).

Finally, we decided on a traditional recipe with a festive twist and ended up with these Cherry and Cinnamon Flapjacks which smell amazing and taste even better (I may have sneaked a corner piece. Ssh).

75g / 3 oz butter or margarine
50g / 2 oz / 3 tbsp golden syrup
100g / 4 oz soft brown sugar
175g / 6 oz rolled oats
100g / 4 oz glace cherries
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- Melt the butter/margarine with the syrup, sugar and cinnamon, then when the sugar has dissolved stir in the oats and cherries.
- Press into a greased tin and bake in a preheated oven a 180c/350f/GM4 for approx 20 minutes until lightly golden.
- Leave to cool a little before cutting into squares or bars, then leave in the tin to cool completely before turning out.

They've all been chopped up and wrapped in old sweet tins lined with baking parchment, using brown paper and a nice festive bow, and labelled with their contents along with messages written by the boys, ready for them to take in for the staff to, hopefully, enjoy!