Christmas food ideas: No bake edible presents

I'm conscious that there are a number of posts around on edible Christmas gifts (and non-edible ones for that matter), but I have so much fun with Christmas treats and baking that I didn't want to skip over this post.

The food-related presents I make at Christmas usually change from year to year. My Mum set up a tradition of making decorated Christmas cookies with me and my sister, and those are a stand-by that I can't imagine not making. Around those cookies, though, I enjoy trying different things and experimenting with whatever takes my fancy each year.

This year I decided to make peppermint chocolate bark, raw papaya and cashew balls, and milk chocolate hearts. As a bonus, none require an oven and all can be made at least a week in advance.


I used Lindt when chocolate was involved, thanks to Coles heavily discounting the Lindt Excellent blocks last weekend. However, any chocolate of your choice would work.

You can print all recipes (such that they are) here, but they are also below - and all are incredibly simple.

Peppermint chocolate bark

This idea came from my Chocolate Recipes calendar, with peppermint bark providing the December recipe. It is extremely easy and the bark could be also used to top cupcakes or cakes.

There are only 3 ingredients and the preparation is limited to melting and then setting chocolate. Simple!

Melt 100g Lindt Dark Chocolate with Mint (or equivalent)

Spread over the base of a lined loaf tin

Set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes

Then melt 100g Lindt White Lindor chocolate (or equivalent)

Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate

Sprinkle 2 large candy canes, crushed, over the top

Return to the refrigerator and set for at least 1 hour

Break the bark into rough pieces

Serve 

(or eat)

These are going to Mr Bite's family, but we squeezed in some taste tests of our own - which I greatly enjoyed. I really liked the inclusion of mint in the bottom chocolate layer, and the crushed candy canes provided a fun texture. 

Raw papaya (pawpaw) and cashew balls

I thought it was probably wise to do something non-chocolate, and this was it. Although I don't usually like cashews, I thought they might pair best with papaya and the ingredients did seem to work well together. The balls taste mostly of papaya, with a little coconut, and there was no discernible (to me) cashew flavour.

This recipe has 1 more ingredient than the bark, but it is equally simple!

Place 160g (~1 cup) chopped dried papaya and 80g (~1/2 cup) cashews in a food processor and process until well chopped and combined 

Add 1 tsp vanilla and 20g (~1/4 cup) dessicated coconut and continue processing until the mixture clumps together

Remove the mixture from the food processor and roll into balls, coating each with extra dessicated coconut

Place on a lined baking tray and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour

I really like the pink colour and suspect I'll be using papaya in fruit and nut balls again in the future. These are going to my Mum, but a repeat effort may happen in the future so I can have a whole batch to myself...

(Edit: For a pineapple version of these tried on 17th January 2012, see here!)

Milk Chocolate Hearts

These require small heart-shaped moulds in which to set your chocolate. I used silicon ones, which help with removing the chocolate, but I have also seen foil moulds in supermarkets, including some decorated with Christmas themed pictures.

I used dried cranberries, almonds, and crushed peanuts to decorate the hearts, but any decorations you like would do.

I also had enough melted chocolate left over to make two round discs, which were set in the bottom of sturdy foil muffin liners.

Melt 150 - 175g Lindt milk chocolate (or equivalent)

Use half of the melted chocolate to fill 8 small heart-shaped moulds approximately 3/4 full

Top each of these 8 hearts with dried cranberries, an almond, or crushed peanuts

In 8 separate heart-shaped moulds, place dried cranberries, an almond, or crushed peanuts in the bottom of the mould

Then fill these 8 hearts with the remaining melted chocolate, approximately 3/4 full

Place hearts on a plate or baking tray and refrigerate at least 2 hours, until fully set

Remove the chocolate hearts from the moulds before serving

Three products, minimal kitchen time, easy to package up, and from my taste testing - all highly enjoyable.

As the top photo may suggest, I also packaged up some non-homemade food. Liquorice allsorts in bags for my sister and her boyfriend; a jar with layered chocolate almonds, cashews and liquorice for my brother; and a bowl with nuts and chocolate almonds for my Dad.

It's feeling rather Christmassy under our mini Christmas tree...

Do you have favourite treats or gifts to make at Christmas?

Previous Christmas food posts:
Cranberry rolls

Christmas ice cream and jazzed up fruit
Main meals and sides (recipe round up)

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