How To Make Peppermint Creams and Gift Presents by Emma Maxwell

* Peppermint Creams can be easily learnt and made as edible Christmas Presents.

So if you fancy making peppermint creams, here is how to get started.

Peppermint creams are a lovely, simple treat to make with your children and give as presents.

Preparation: to make peppermint creams you need: 325g Icing sugar; 1 large egg white (Or use royal icing and water if you don't wish to use raw eggs ); Peppermint essence; Chocolate to decorate. Remember to whisk your egg white so it is frothy and sift in your icing sugar.

Our easy peppermint creams recipe is great for making for the family or giving as a gift.

* Why not get the kids involved in making it too? It's a fun recipe to make as a family.

225g royal icing mix (not ready made royal icing) Boiled water; Peppermint essence; Melted chocolate (optional).

Put the royal icing mix into a large bowl. Add 1tbsp water to start with and mix well.

Add more water 1 or 2 tsps at a time, until you have a very stiff mixture which holds it's own shape.

Add a few drops of the essence and mix well...you can also add a few drops of green food colouring (optional). If the mixture is sticky add some more royal icing mix or icing sugar.

* Roll out your icing: Turn your mixture out onto a surface dusted in icing sugar and kneed. Roll out and cut out any shapes you wish.

Knead the mixture in to a firm paste.

Either roll out until about 1cm thick on a surface dusted with sieved icing sugar and cut into shapes with a small cookie cutter, or form into small balls using your hands and flatten.

Place the peppermint creams onto greaseproof paper, and allow to dry for a few hours.

If you want to make your peppermint creams extra special, melt some chocolate and dip half of each sweet into the melted chocolate. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off, and place the sweets onto greaseproof paper. Allow to set for another hour or so.

* Leave to harden: Place onto parchment paper and leave to harden for at least an hour.

Put into sweet cakes and store in an airtight container for upto 1 week.

Variations:

Lemon or orange creams - make as above but use lemon/orange juice instead of water, and add a little grated zest instead of the essence.

* Cover in chocolate: Melt some chocolate in the microwave and dip half of the peppermint then leave to dry on parchment paper again. This can get pretty messy but that is part of the fun.

Coffee creams - make up some strong black coffee, using 2 tsp coffee granules in 4 tbsp boiling water. Use this instead of the water and essence.

*Royal icing mix can be found in large supermarkets next to the icing sugar. It contains dried pasteurised egg white, so avoids the need for raw egg, which is unsuitable for young children and the elderly.

If you don't mind using egg white then alternatively you can also use (and make the same way); 1 egg white; 325g (11½oz) Icing sugar.

And give as presents...or why not make double and keep a batch for yourself. These keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Emma Maxwell, Content Manager of Netmums, Lives in Orkney, Scottland.

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