Handmade christmas yummy gifts

Mini chrristmas cakes
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
1/2 tsp almond flavouring or vanilla extract
2 eggs,beaten
100g self raising flour
12 tsp mincemeat
To decorate,marzipan or ready to roll icing,
edible gold and silver shimmer spray,icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4.Cream the butter,sugar and flavouring together until pale and fluffy.Add the eggs a little at a time with some flour.Stir in the rest of the flour.Spoon into 12 paper cases on a baking tray.Top each cake with a spoonful of mincemeat.Bake for 10-15 mins or until golden.Leave to cool.Now time to decorate! Roll out ther marzipan or icing and cut out stars,holly or bells.Spray in gold or silver.Mix the icing with a little water,drizzle over the cakes and top with the shapes.

Christmas peppermint sweets

225g icing sugar,plus extra to dust the surface and your hands
100g condensed milk
1/2 tsp peppermint flavouring
food colourings (red/green)

Put the sugar into a large bowl,add condensed milk and peppermint and mix well.Split the mixture into quarters.You might like to add different food colourings to each piece.Dust the work surface with icing sugar.Roll each piece to flatten slightly.Using small christmas shape cutters,cut out sweets.Leave for about 2-3 hours to harden.Then there ready to gift wrap.

 shortbread

200g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar,plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour
50g cornflour
small pinch baking powder

Preheat oven to 180c/fan 160/gas 4.Line a baking tray with greaseproof and baking paper.Beat the butter,sugar and vanilla together until fluffy.Add the remaining ingredients and mix to a dough.Roll out and cut out what ever christmas shapes you wont until the dough as gone.Bake for 20-25 mins.Sprinkle with caster sugar and leave to cool.