FIVE last-minute chocolate gift ideas!

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Double chocolate peanut brittle

So it’s now Christmas Eve … yippee! And yet while I’ve enjoyed the Christmassy atmosphere this week and have done some fun things, my carefully laid plans are not going entirely as I imagined. In my mind I was going to wrap up my pressies for a relaxed hour or so at the beginning of the week while watching Christmas movies and eating Christmas treats. In reality I did it in a huge rush, it seemed to take me HOURS and I somehow ended up with gifts littered around the entire room in a sea of paper, glitter, sellotape, bags and ribbon. Not to mention a sore head and back!

Bah Humbug! Well, not entirely … but fast forward to the next few days and a work ‘semi panic’ meant that I didn’t ‘throw’ my delicious-in-my-mind chili con carne in the crock pot for Christmas week easy meals as I had planned to, didn’t make my mini salted caramel cupcake cheesecakes for Boxing Day (still haven’t) and, most importantly, didn’t publish this post which was supposed to be all ready with a few days to spare before Christmas.

Today has continued in the same vein with lots of dashing here and there and not quite getting things done by the time I would have liked to. Sigh.

So if you too are finding yourself constantly trying to catch up with yourself this week and, like me, all your carefully laid plans to have everything for the holidays organised by now haven’t quite come to fruition, maybe these five last-minute food gifts might help you out!

I realise that this post may be coming just a tad too late for Christmas now for most of you (you don’t say …), but all of these would make great hostess gifts to take along to all those fun parties and other gatherings around this time of year, too. Or for birthday gifts after the festivities are all over.

I promise you that all of these gift ideas are super super (super) easy, take hardly any time at all to make and look great simply packaged up in a pretty box lined with baking paper or in a clear bag tied up with a ribbon. It will never be so easy to impress your friends and family with something you made!

So without further ado, first up is this easy double chocolate peanut brittle which I made for several friends and family members this week:

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Easy double chocolate peanut brittle

Easy peanut brittle topped with milk and white chocolate - perfect for a last-minute gift!
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 40

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 cups roasted salted peanuts
  • 4 cups caster sugar
  • 10.5 tablespoons butter, chopped
  • 7 ounces milk chocolate
  • 2.6 ounces white chocolate

Instructions 

  • Line two medium-sized (roughly 20 x 30 cm – or equivalent) baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
  • Put the sugar in a large, heavy saucepan with 470ml (2 cups) of cold water and heat over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has melted (about 5 minutes). Then bring to the boil and boil (without stirring) until the mixture turns a deep caramel colour (you will need a bit of patience for this – it could take 20 minutes or so).
  • Remove from the heat immediately and quickly stir in the butter and then the peanuts. Immediately pour the mixture into the pans.
  • Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then drizzle all over the peanut brittle. Repeat with the white chocolate. Set the trays aside and leave to cool completely for a few hours or even overnight before breaking into rough pieces.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 92mg, Potassium: 133mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 90IU, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Number two are these chocolate rocks. They are really just melted chocolate with nuts and dried fruit stirred in, but I assure you they’ll still impress!

Chocolate rocks on a baking tray from above

Next up … chocolate orange truffles. Mmmmm … very possibly my fave!

A close up of some chocolate orange truffles on a white background

Number four … marshmallow & swirly chocolate crispy squares. These will take you back to your childhood for sure, but they definitely make a gift perfectly suitable for adults!

Everyone loves receiving a homemade food gift! Marshmallow & swirly chocolate crispy squares by Scrummy Lane

And finally … number five is this mango & pistachio chocolate bark. Am I allowed to have two favourites?

Mango and pistachio chocolate bark

I so hope you can find something here to delight your friends, family and neighbours. I’ve given every one of them as a gift at some point and can honestly say that they never failed to impress.

All that remains is for me to wish you lots of joy, peace and scrummy food over these holidays.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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20 Comments

    1. I know … next year I will try to get my skates on before Christmas Eve! Hope you can find some use for these at some point, though! Thanks for passing by and Happy New Year!

  1. I love the swirly chocolate rice crispy squares. That’s how grown-ups do rice crispies!

  2. I would love all of these gifts. Nuts and chocolate go so well together. I hope you had a great Christmas.

    1. So glad you like them, Dannii … I had a great Christmas, thanks … hope yours was good, too!

  3. Love the orange truffles and chocolate rocks cake idea! No reason you can’t make these for New Year’s as well. And I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Helen!!! So busy, isn’t it? How do you find time to whip up all these luscious recipes.=)

    1. lol … well, I don’t, really … life is one big dash!! Haha …
      Glad you like these ideas!! 🙂

  4. What a wonderful and tasty Christmas gift ideas, Helen! Have to make your pistachio bark soon. Merry Christmas and enjoy your Holiday weekend.
    J
    Cheers,
    J+C

    How we miss the Christmas Markets from Europe, we could always find special little gifts there 🙂

    1. Ohhh, I know … I love the Xmas markets, too! Do try that pistachio bark … it’s so luxurious and yet sooo easy to make!

  5. Just KILL ME NOW!! Why oh why didn’t I read this on Christmas Eve!?? Instead I was running around like a lunatic picking up last minute gifts when I had everything I needed to make this!! AGGGHHH!! Merry Christmas Helen! Hope you had a great one!! 🙂

    1. Hahahaha … well, I have to admit that it’s my fault for posting this FAR too late … glad it would have been useful in theory though! 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Nagi! 🙂

  6. Great gift ideas! Love the combination of chocolate and orange! Merry Christmas!

    1. Hi, Kathleen … thank you – my faves are the choc orange truffles! Merry Christmas to you, too! 🙂

  7. Fantastic ideas! The chocolate rice krispy treats sound great! Hope you have a very sweet Christmas 🙂