Thursday, December 19, 2013

There's still time! Last minute DIY Vegan Food Gifts.

Peppermint Balls 
 First we'll start with the treat, then I'll give you a fool proof way to pack 'em up to guarantee smiles.  These Peppermint Balls are a perfect, easy to make holiday treat.  The recipe is more of a list of instructions so that you can make as many or as few as you would like.


What you will need:
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Peppermint Extract
Non Dairy Milk
Crushed Peppermint Candy (like candy canes)
Vegan Chocolate Chips or Chunks

To make these yummy little balls, first make the peppermint dough.  Simply add powdered sugar to a bowl.  Add equal amounts of vanilla and peppermint extract to taste.  Mix together with your hands until well incorporated and crumbly.  Add in non dairy milk, a half teaspoon at a time and work into the sugar mixture until a workable dough (like the consistency of playdough) is formed.  Fold in crushed candy to taste.


Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or parchment.  Grab a little piece of dough and roll it into a ball.  Place on the cookie sheet and repeat until all dough is used.  Place a toothpick into the center of each ball and place into the freezer to harden.  While balls are freezing, place chocolate in a double boiler to melt.


Once balls are hard, take each one and dip it into the melted chocolate to coat.  Return to the cookie sheet and remove the toothpicks.


Using a spoon, fill the holes created by the toothpicks in with melted chocolate.


Sprinkle the tops with more crushed candy.  Allow to harden completely and place in candy cups for packaging.



Now onto the packaging.  This cute little Truffle Gift Box is from Vegan Food Gifts (page 14).  You can use any pattern paper for these, of course there are so many cool Christmas papers available this time of year.

Photo by Celine Steen.
This little box is super-duper easy to make and super cute, too! You can use any kind of craft paper. I like the thicker scrapbook papers because they are often double sided, are already measured to 12 x 12 and come in so many awesome patterns. Just think of the way you can customize these with different holiday papers. Anyhow, this one does require an adhesive, and I like to use a glue stick but you can use tape or even a stapler if you choose.

What you will need:
1 piece of 12x12 paper
ruler
scissors
glue or tape

Directions:
Start with a 12" x 12" piece of paper.
1. Measure 1.5" from the bottom and fold up. Crease. Repeat at the top of the page.
2. Bring crease of bottom folded edge up to meet the open end of the top folded edge. Fold to create a crease just shy of the center of the page. Unfold. Repeat with the top of the page. This will create a 1.5" space between the creases in the center of the page. Unfold everything so the page is flat.
3. Now fold in the right edges 1.5" and crease. Repeat with the left edge. Unfold both edges.
4. Using scissors, cut each of the "dotted" lines up to the crease. 8 cuts total.
5. Fold in the small tabs and apply a bit of glue to each tab.
6. Glue each tab to the inside of the flaps. 4 to form the box and 2 to form the lid.

Diagram by Kurt Halsey.


4 comments:

Tanya said...

how fun and easy, thank you :D

vegan.in.brighton said...

Those look super easy and delicious!

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Unknown said...

Really Delicious. Thanks for sharing.
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All recipes written by me, Joni Marie Newman, unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to refer to or link back to any of my recipes, but please ask for permission, and remember to give credit when reprinting recipes in their entirety. I do provide links to affiliate programs (such as Amazon) in which I receive a small commission for items purchased. I do not provide paid reviews. All reviews done on products or books are of my own unsolicited opinion. On occasion I may receive a book or product to review. I will note when this is the case, but rest assured, it will not affect the authenticity of my review. Thanks!--Joni