What’s happening that’s festive in your kitchens?
Nut mixes? Fudge, caramels, and other sweets? Preserves and curds (and all the things they can go into)?
I procrastinated on my holiday treat-making this year because Thanksgiving is so late (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it 
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(May all your efforts be well-rewarded, but, just in case, the Mishaps thread is here 
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Related:
— 2024 Holiday Treats
— 2025 Not Baked thread
— 2025 Holiday Baking
The offspring now does all the baking in their own kitchen. Any treats I make will be last minute.
I want to try @Nannybakes’ microwave lemon curd this year.
I just picked up a jar of mixed berry and lemon curd from TJ’s because I thought it might be an easy sandwich layer for a cake, if it tastes good, it might be interesting to replicate (with frozen berries).
I’ve made passionfruit and tangerine with that same formula. I’ve also made a few different cranberry curds which are delicious, a rhubarb curd, just okay, and pineapple curd which @CaitlinM has posted several times. I can’t recall for sure if I’ve made a berry curd but I have a vague recollection of making one and found it muted in flavor possibly due to all the eggs, maybe some citric acid would be a good addition to a berry curd.
ETA I just picked up some crushed candy canes at World Market as my DD likes to use them for Holiday chocolate brickle.
Here’s what I bought – ingredient list has lots of juice concentrates, probably for the reason you described.
Had not heard that term yet, but such a better name!
I’ll try and pick some up in the next couple of days. I would think the concentrates would intensify the berry flavors. Do tell when you try it!
I am currently soaking fruit in rum for fruitcake.
I plan to make some cheddar shortbread or cheddar pennies this year.
I think I’ll be gifting some friends fruitcake, olive oil, coffee or tea instead of cookies and squares this year.
I also decided , I’ll bake my own fruitcakes and mail them, rather than buying as many mail-order gifts this year.
I like making people baskets and gift bags, so I will continue with that. More homemade stuff this year.
Some ideas for baskets and other foodie gifts from years past.
Do You Send Food Gifts For The Holidays?
Favorite Holiday Gift Food Mail Order Companies
Gift baskets and gift boxes in the Greater Toronto Area
Making your own holiday gift basket in Ontario- what would you include?
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I need to start a list of which friends like or don’t like nuts, and like or don’t like Fruitcake!
I know many folks make spiced nuts to give away, and I’ve been toying with the idea of trying NYC-style honey roasted cashews – “Nuts4Nuts”.
TJ’s berry lemon curd was used as the “glue to secure the berries and pistachios to the frangipane tart. I also had it on toast with ricotta this morning, my verdict is meh. The first taste is lemon but not the lemon of a simple curd, followed by the berry taste. I’ll probably use it up on a variety of things but won’t repurchase.
It has inspired me to try again perhaps with some intense berry juices.
Well, I haven’t opened mine yet so perhaps I will return it 
I’d say yes to that !
ETA The consistency is also a little unusual, I don’t buy curds but this is dense rather than silky, as I assumed it would be.
Finally got around to things I should have made before Diwali 
- but now they’re pre-thanksgiving
GRAM FLOUR FUDGE aka MAGAJ / BESAN LADDOO
Used to be my favorite, passed down to my nephews.
Ghee + gram flour nice and toasty, let it cool, then add powdered sugar and cardamom.
There’s a slivered almond on top because I forgot the gold glitter I bought last year — but then I remembered .
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MASALA PURIS / SPICED “CRACKERS”
Another childhood favorite, but I modified it along the way from what my grandmother used to make so that it stays crisp longer, and has a bit more intense flavor.
I made them small so they would fit into butter containers to protect them slightly inside another mailing box. They were almost too cute to eat… almost
These look very interesting. Would you mind sharing the recipe?
NUTELLA BALLS aka Ferrerro Rocher Protein Bites aka Protein Truffles
If you’re looking for something healthy that tastes like it isn’t, this is a good candidate.
My base version is cocoa + dates + almonds, but the kid consumers were inspired several years ago to request that I replace some almonds with hazelnuts because they wanted them to taste like Nutella or Ferrero Rocher, and so here we are with delicious Nutella Balls!
I got exhausted rolling 50 of these from 1 lb of dates (after the fudge and the crisps and glazing cupcakes and running back & forth to the post office), so the second batch will have to wait 
Puri dough with whole wheat flour (add some semolina if you like them crisp) and all the dry powdered masalas – turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chilli. Poke a hole to stop them from puffing if you prefer (takes less space to store), otherwise let them puff up per usual (we make them that way too). Fry slowly on medium heat till they crisp up on both sides – unlike puris.
Thanks!
ALMOND FLOUR FUDGE aka BADAM KATRI / Katli / Barfi / Burfi
3x the recipe, made in 2 batches (would have been quicker to make 3 batches given the idiosyncrasies of sugar).
Making use of the edible gold powder I ordered last year
Cranberry curd , using tart cranberry juice, sugar and egg whites.
Equal parts by weight of all ingredients, I reduced TJ’S tart cranberry juice by a skimpy half. Added the sugar and when it cooled a bit, the egg whites and a pinch of citric acid as I like tart. This cooks very rapidly, especially since the juice is already warm. I think that only egg whites give it a more distinct taste, as opposed to a yolk version.
I also make the delicious cranberry curd filling for tarts, etc. with whole cranberries, this is a lighter version.
I think it would make a nice hostess gift for cranberry lovers.
I also have a jar of tart cherry juice which I will also make into a curd in the near future.
I decided to soak more fruit for fruitcake. This time I’m using Metaxa, a Greek brandy.
I don’t follow recipes too closely, but I follow these 2 to some degree.
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Decided to Google Greek fruit cake and I found this
It sure would!!!
