Delicious home-made gifts for under $10

Spread the festive joy with some home-made goodies that are quick and cheap to make. These recipes yield a good quantity of tasty nibbles so you can spread one batch between two or three recipients.

Then take a trip down to Spotlight or your local $2 shop to source attractive boxes and containers.

STRAWBERRY JAM 

2 cups crushed berries
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Mix crushed berries with sugar and bring to the boil.
Boil for 10 minutes then add with lemon juice and simmer for about 5 minutes or until jam starts to set. Pour into sterilised jars and seal with sterilised pop-top lids. If you have pretty fabric at home cut out rounds and fix them on with rubber bands.

SHORTBREAD

175g butter, softened
½ cup icing sugar
1½ cups plain flour
½ cup cornflour
Pinch of salt
Optional: half cup of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Grease or line an oven tray with baking paper. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in flour, cornflour and salt and mix thoroughly with the butter mixture until it forms a dough. Add chocolate chips if you’re using them.

Knead dough, then roll out to 10mm thickness on a floured surface. Press out shapes using a biscuit cutter or cut into triangles and place on oven tray. Press remaining dough together and roll out again, press out shapes until mixture is used up.

Bake for 30 minutes or until pale golden.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

2 cups sugar
1/4 pint milk
2oz butter
2Tbs cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
Walnuts (optional)

Heat milk and butter until boiling point. Then add the sugar and cocoa. Boil for six minutes, stirring.
Add vanilla and beat with a spoon. Add nuts if using. When crystalisation appears around the sides of the saucepan you'll know it's nearly ready to pour into a greased, shallow dish.
Cut when it's three-quarters set.

Cheese Straws

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup margarine
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 200° C. Grease or line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Combine the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, salt, grated cheese and butter or margarine in a bowl and mix until well combined. Add water a little bit at a time to make a very stiff dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pieces of the dough into just slightly thicker than pencil shaped sticks. Cut sticks into 15cm lengths. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until browned.

HOME-MADE CRACKERS

3 cups all-purpose flour, or a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flours
1 tsp salt
4 tbs olive oil
1 cup water
Rock salt, chilli flakes, sesame seeds, linseeds, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds (all optional)

Mix dry ingredients together and add wet ingredients to form a smooth dough. Add enough seeds so that the mixture still holds together when squeezed. Roll out to half-centimetre thickness and cut into squares, bars or use cookie cutters to make shapes.

Bake in a hot oven (230° C) for 12-15 mins or until golden.

Add a round of brie or camembert to your assortment of crackers to make a fabulous gift.