Christmas Gifting Day One: Hot chocolate stirrer recipe

It’s day one of our twelve days of Christmas gifting countdown!  Christmas can be an expensive time and knowing what to buy people can be very tricky. We have gathered together some wonderful recipes for you to make for your friends and family. They will be thoughtful, inexpensive and there’s something for everyone. Today it is Hot Chocolate Stirrers!

Hot chocolate is the ultimate winter treat and these homemade hot chocolate stirrers make for wonderful and unique Christmas gifts. They’re easy to make and you can really get creative with a variety of different chocolates and decorations from mini marshmallows, toffee pieces and chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless! Neatly packaged with a mug, these stirrers would make the perfect present for chocolate lovers.

MAKES 10–15

Ingredients

100g good quality chocolate

Decorations of your choice (e.g. chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, Smarties, chocolate buttons, chopped toffee)

Pack of decorative plastic spoons (or metal ones, if you’re pushing the boat out!)

Method

1. Gently melt the chocolate in a bowl over a simmering pan

2. Lay your spoons on a flat surface, concave side up. Carefully pour a tablespoon of melted chocolate into the well of each spoon

3. Whilst the chocolate is still liquid, decorate each spoon with the treat of your choice. Leave to cool

4. To present these, simply place them chocolate-side down into a cellophane greetings card bag. Gather the cellophane closed at the neck of the spoons and secure in place with a brightly coloured ribbon or elastic band

5. Store in a lidded container in a cool dark place. Keeps for 2 weeks.

Variation

Another more luxurious way of making these is to use a large ice cube tray. Fill each section with one-third milk, one-third white and one-third dark chocolate (leaving each layer to set in between). As you make the last layer, force a long teaspoon into the melted chocolate and hold in place until sturdy. Leave to cool, then remove from the tray and present individually wrapped in small cellophane bags. Again, these will keep for 2 weeks in a lidded container.

These hot chocolate stirrers are the perfect way to get children involved with your homemade Christmas gifts. Allow them to choose the decorations for lots of festive fun. They’re also particularly quick and inexpensive to make, making them the perfect Christmas presents that fit within your Christmas budget.