It really pays to devote a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to prepare homemade gifts. Both these recipes come together with minimal hands-on time and at a fraction of the price of shop-bought versions – there’s no sugar thermometer required, either! The sweetness of the rich toffee is tempered by tart barberries and bitter lemon peel, while the marmalade shines with floral meyer lemons and the green notes of fresh bay. Both recipes double up well, if you have many giftees.
Toffee with milk chocolate, pistachios, candied lemon and barberries
If you can’t find barberries, use currants soaked in lemon juice.
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Chill 15 min
Makes 575g
45g slivered pistachios
25g diced candied lemon peel
10g barberries
½ tsp flaky salt
230g unsalted butter
200g sugar
½ tsp salt
100g milk chocolate, chopped
Line a rimmed baking tray with greaseproof paper. In a medium bowl, mix the pistachios, lemon peel, barberries and flaky salt.
In a medium pan set over a medium-high heat, melt the butter, sugar and salt, stirring a little more than occasionally, until the mixture turns a deep tan colour (technically, this is when it hits 142C/287F), but I never bother with a thermometer). If the butter begins to separate, stir (or even whisk) vigorously until re-emulsified.
Pour the hot toffee on to the lined baking sheet, and leave it to cool for about five minutes, until you can comfortably hold your hand an inch from the surface and a chunk of chocolate put on top doesn’t make a big indent. Scatter the chocolate evenly over the toffee, then wait a few minutes for the residual heat to melt it. Use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate in an even layer, then scatter evenly with the pistachio mix.
Put in the fridge to set for 15 minutes, then break into irregular pieces. The toffee will keep for up to a month stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pink grapefruit and meyer lemon marmalade with bay
If you can’t find meyer lemons, use the same weight of regular lemons. The result will be slightly less floral and slightly more tart, which some might prefer.
Prep 10 min
Soak Overnight
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Cool 24 hr
Makes 4 x 250ml jars
400g pink grapefruit (ie, 1 large one)
175g meyer lemons (about 2)
860g sugar
60g lemon juice
1 fresh bay leaf
Wash the citrus fruits, cut off the ends, then quarter lengthways and cut into 3mm-thick slices, discarding any seeds as you go. Put the slices in a large bowl, cover with a litre and a half of water, and leave to soak overnight (but no longer).
The next day, tip all the bowl’s contents into a large pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, then leave to simmer uncovered until the rinds are very soft and the liquid has reduced by two-thirds – this should take about an hour.
Sterilise some jars by putting them in a 120C (110C fan)/250F/gas low oven for at least 20 minutes. Have new lids at the ready, and put a couple of saucers in the freezer.
Stir the sugar, lemon juice and bay into the cooked citrus, then bring to a hard boil on a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. When the froth subsides and the bubbles become regular and splutter violently, test the marmalade for doneness by putting a teaspoon of it on a plate from the freezer. After two minutes, the marmalade should have formed a skin that will wrinkle when prodded.
Take off the heat, fish out and discard the bay leaf, then ladle the marmalade into a heatproof measuring jug. Pour the mix into the prepared jars to just below the rim; if any marmalade strays, wipe the jar rims with a damp paper towel. Top with the lids, seal tightly and invert for one to two minutes.
Leave the jars to cool for 24 hours, then check the seals. Store somewhere cool, dark and dry, where the marmalade will keep for at least a year.
Camilla Wynne is the author of Nature’s Candy, published by Random House USA Inc at £26.99. To order a copy for £24.29 go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
