Homemade delicacies for the Christmas season
Perfect for gifting
For me, Advent is always the time when I conjure up little gifts from my own kitchen. Well, the recipes actually come from my mother. They have been passed down, so to speak. But, one thing is for sure: homemade treats are not only personal, but also bring a bit of warmth and love to the cold, gray Berlin winter days.
That’s why I’d like to introduce you to three simple recipe ideas that are wonderful to prepare, wrap up nicely and then give (or enjoy) as gifts:
Red wine jelly –
a touch of elegance in the glass
This jelly is a real classic for connoisseurs. With its great aroma and fine red wine note, it goes perfectly with cheese platters or as a particularly tasty spread on bread. A small jar of this makes any gift set extra special. My mother always used Portuguese red wine, I use Spanish. Which one will you choose?
The “Black Souls” –
the mysterious chocolate cookie
Dark, crispy and intense – these cookies are for everyone who loves dark chocolate. Not only do they look classy, they also taste like pure winter bliss. Until recently, I was convinced that only our family could make these “black souls“. until a Google search proved that it was a well-known recipe. – But never mind. Do you already know it? If not, I can only recommend baking them. And, as part of this, choose cookie cutters that suit you. For me, these are always the“cookie camera cutters” to make camera cookies.
Orange-rosemary salt –
Mediterranean freshness for the kitchen
A flavored salt that immediately awakens vacation feelings. The combination of fruity orange and spicy rosemary turns every dish into something special. Ideal for meat, fish or simply as a little highlight on the table. And, as I love chilli as a spice, if you like it a little spicier, you can add a little chilli too.
All three recipes are simple and relatively quick to make. Beautifully packaged, they make wonderful gifts – whether as a souvenir for an Advent coffee or as a lovely present under the Christmas tree. They are sure to taste delicious.
Make yourself a cup of tea, put on some Christmas music and let yourself be inspired – you’ll find the recipes right here, at the bottom of the post. Have fun trying them out!
The recipes
Red wine jelly
Photographed from the collection of many recipe slips that lie in the kitchen at home during the Advent season.
“Black souls”
Once photographed from the Christmas recipe book that my mother has filled over the decades.
Orange-rosemary salt
I received it as a gift and loved it. Picked it out and made it: vary the quantities according to taste and preference, but start with this.
- 2 organic oranges
- 1 organic lemon
- 150g coarse sea salt
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- … if you like, a little dried chilli to taste
Wash the oranges and lemon in hot water and dry. Peel or grate very thinly. It is important not to remove any white fibers, otherwise it will be bitter. Strip the needles from the rosemary sprigs and chop finely. Spread on baking paper together with the orange and lemon peel and dry in the oven. Do this at approx. 100°C for one hour. Place a wooden spoon in the oven door to allow the steam to escape.
Then, mix the coarse sea salt, rosemary, orange & lemon zest (plus the dried chilli) together well and then place piece by piece in a mortar and grind everything vigorously until you are done.
Then fill into small, pretty jars and your culinary gift is ready. Goes perfectly with potato wedges from the oven, home-made chips, as a seasoning for grilled meat and fish.
Happy Advent!
Give the gift of a photoshoot for Christmas
Someone in your circle of friends needs a new profile picturea really special portrait or simply a expressive headshot?
Or just come to the photo shoot as a couple?
A picture of you and your love?
Then give away the voucher for a 60-minute studio photo session worth €185.
And now, for Christmas, I’m adding two more finished and retouched image files on top.
That’s 6 instead of the usual 4 edited recordings!
You will receive the voucher by post as a printed card.
