We all know that come December 20th every shop and online retailer will go through what can
only be described as chaos, so why don’t you organise your presents now (or at least make a
list of what to get) so that you get a chance to sit back and enjoy the festive season? After all, a
nice relaxing cup of coffee after a day of ice skating is much preferred to a cup of coffee drunk
in haste in the early morning so as to be able to cope with the Christmas shopping!
If you love coffee, or rather: know someone who loves coffee, we have thought of some
Christmas gifts for you.
There is the obvious you can buy, such as a coffee, or espresso machine, some nice varieties
of coffee beans, or fancy coffee cups. You can also get a bit more creative and make your own
coffee inspired gifts.
Coffee Scrub
Coffee has for a long time been used by the health industry in scrubs and this recipe is the
favourite amongst the ones we found as it incorporates a little bit of Christmas in its scent. It
comes from the Seven Clowns Circus blog.
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1 cup ground coffee (any that you like)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix all the ingredients and then put them in nice little jars that you adorn with Christmas style
ribbons and gift tags. You can even put the recipe on there so they know how to make their
own! It should be applied to wet skin in circular motions, to increase blood flow and will work as
an exfoliant. Rinse once done.
Coffee Caramels
For those of you looking for something that suits someone with a sweet tooth, these caramels
are the perfect find! You get about four dozen small caramels from this recipe and you can
either put them into nice little jars, or in an old fashioned candy cone, made from any kind of
paper you have at home.
Ingredients
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1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (you could try using something more natural such as maple
syrup, but we haven’t tried it yet and don’t know how the consistency, or boiling point
would be affected. If you try, let us know!)
1/4 cup honey
1.5 cups half and half (it needs to have fat in it, so no fat free replacements here!)
2 tbsp instant coffee. You can add a touch more coffee if you prefer a stronger taste
1/4 cup (2 oz) butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract, or real vanilla beans straight from the pod
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1. Take an 8×8 and line it with aluminum foil, then spray the foil heavily with nonstick cooking
spray, or brush it with oil
2. Place all the ingredients but the vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir
continuously until the sugars dissolve in the melted butter. Insert a candy thermometer.
3. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reaches 120 degrees Celsius (if
you do not have a thermometer there is an old trick – have a bowl of cold water nearby. Take
a teaspoon of the mixture and pour it into the cold water. If you can form a ball from the drop
of batter in the water, then the mixture is ready. This may lead to a slightly creamier/chewier
texture than a caramel though)
4. When it reaches 120 degrees remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Then pour the
mixture into the previously foil lined pan. Allow it to set until it is cool and firm, which takes
approximately 3 hours in room temperature.
5. Take out the foil with the caramel in it, flip it upside down on a non-stick surface (granite, or
similar) and peel off the foil. Cut your caramel into desired chunks using a knife that you have
brushed with oil, or sprayed with a non-stick spray.
6. As a finishing touch you can dip the caramels in melted dark chocolate, or wrap them as is in
waxed paper, as they will stick together otherwise. If you store them in an airtight container they
should last about 2 weeks in room temperature.
If you are feeling adventurous you can always try adding different spices, such as a tad of
cinnamon, or cardamom, which normally blend well with coffee.