Edible Gift: Hot Chocolate on a Stick

I like to give small gifts to my colleagues at Christmas. I usually want to thank about 40 or 50 people at work who have contributed to my year - fellow maths teachers, office staff, and friendly colleagues. I'm on a budget, so 40 bottles of wine is ruled out as a gift idea! But handmade gifts are usually reasonably cheap to make. They involve a bit more time, though. And people are grateful for something handmade because they realise that it took time to make.


In the past I have made hermit bars wrapped in gold patterned cellophane and chocolate peppermint bark. Here's a list (from The Kitchn) of some other edible gifts worth considering.


Last year's project was hot chocolate on a stick. I spread the work over three evenings. I melted and formed the treats the first day let them harden overnight. (I used the Wilton brownie bites pan.) I added the white chocolate glaze and the garnishes the second evening. I wrapped them and added the gift tags on the third day.

Hot Chocolate on a Stick
makes about 45 treats

3 candy canes
6 x 200 g Bakers dipping chocolate
silver balls
100 g white chocolate for melting

equipment:
pastry bag or zip lock bag
trays for moulding
lollipop sticks (or wooden teaspoons)
cellophane
twistie ties

Crush the candy canes.

Melt the milk chocolate according to package directions.
Fill the pasty bag or zip lock bag with the melted chocolate. If using a zip lock bag, snip off a corner.
Fill the trays by piping in the melted chocolate.
Leave to partially harden (about half an hour), then place a lollipop stick in each one. Sprinkle with some crushed candy canes and silver balls.
Leave to harden completely.

Melt the white chocolate according to package directions.
Carefully remove the chocolates from their moulds. Dip each in the white chocolate and then in more crushed candy canes and silver balls.
Leave to harden on a plate.

Package each treat with cellophane and a twisty tie.

Do you make handmade gifts at Christmas?