Edible Christmas gifts

Chilli Vodka
6-8 Birds eye chillies
1 bottle Vodka

1. Put whole chillies into a pretty bottle large enough to hold a whole bottle of Vodka.
2. Decant inexpensive vodka into the new bottle with the chillies and seal. Let it stand for a month and use.

Chocolate almonds
Makes about 1kg

375g whole unblanched almonds
275g granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
450g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
100g cocoa powder
¼ tsp vanilla extract or orange essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. Toast the almonds in the oven for 15 minutes on a baking sheet.
3. Line two baking pans with greaseproof paper and set aside.
4. In a saucepan combine the sugar, 4 tbsp water, the almonds and the cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar becomes golden and the almonds are completely coated.
5. Pour into the prepared pans, allow to cool and place in the fridge to cool.
6. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until melted. Transfer half the chilled almonds to a large bowl, and pour half the melted chocolate over the nuts. Separate the nuts with a fork so they don’t stick together.
7. Return the almonds to the fridge until the chocolate has set. Repeat with the remaining almonds.
8. Place the cocoa powder and icing sugar into separate bowls. Toss half the nuts in cocoa and half in sugar.

Wild mushroom oil
Delicious with pasta or salads

300ml sunflower oil
15g dried porcini
few sprigs fresh thyme
12 peppercorns
300ml olive oil

1. Warm the oil, then pour over the mushrooms thyme and peppercorns in a small bowl.
2. Cover, leave until cold then transfer to a clean dry jar and top up with olive oil.
3. Seal and leave in a cool dark pace to infuse.