Looking for gift ideas to impress your loved ones? How about making them a gourmet advent calendar? The idea is simple: every day between December 1 and 24, offer them a homemade treat. Here are a few suggestions to help get you started!
Organization is key!
Before beginning, it’s important to come up with a game plan. You have two options: offer 24 identical gourmet gifts or make a variety of treats, depending on what your loved ones like.
If you decide to offer the same gift to everyone, opt for a crowd-pleasing recipe. If you go with a variety of treats, opt for recipes that are quick and easy to make.
Don’t forget to make a detailed list of all the ingredients you need before heading to your Les Marchés Tradition store. We also suggest buying everything you need on a weekly basis, and making your treats as you go along, to avoid any unnecessary food waste.
Sweet treats
Maple popcorn
This recipe is easy to make and is sure to please everyone! To make the maple drizzle, simply bring one cup of butter, half a cup of brown sugar, and half a cup of maple syrup to a boil. Let boil for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Then all that’s left to do is drizzle the syrup over six cups of popcorn!
Chocolate chip cookies
There are so many chocolate chip cookie recipes to choose from, but why not stick to something super simple? Beat together two eggs, one cup of brown sugar, and half a cup of canola oil. Stir in two cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, and one cup of chocolate chips. Shape the dough into 24 balls and bake in the oven at 350°F for approximately 10 minutes.
Maple-glazed nuts
Glazed nuts are delicious on their own, but they’re also a great way to jazz up a salad or a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Plus, they’re easy to make: in a bowl, combine walnuts, almonds, pecans, maple syrup, and fleur de sel. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven at 300°F for 15 minutes.
Savoury snacks
Stuffed olives
Stuffed olives make a great happy hour snack! Use pitted green olives and stuff them with your garnish of choice: blue cheese, pickled peppers, fish roe, etc. Then simply drizzle with some olive oil and store in a pretty jar.
Flavoured butter
Here’s a gourmet gift that is sure to impress! Take softened butter and mix it with the ingredients of your choice. Think fresh herbs, aromatic salt, minced garlic, or pesto. Then simply wrap the butter in parchment paper, form into a log, and refrigerate until firm.
Spiced salt
This easy-to-make recipe makes a great host gift! Simply combine sea salt with a pinch of ground chili flakes, Cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.
How to wrap your gifts up
You don’t need to wrap your gourmet gifts in super-expensive wrapping paper. You can use kraft or parchment paper and tie them up with colourful ribbon! If you’re offering spiced salt or mixed nuts, you can present your gift in small Mason jars (it’ll stay fresher longer this way).
These homemade treats are sure to warm your loved ones’ hearts . . . and fill their bellies, too!
