Snowflake Candle Jar with Jam J-art & #DDDHMC

When I was first contacted regarding the Jam J-art campaign, I wondered how on earth I hadn't heard of it before! A big feature of Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas thus far has involved recycling jars and making something extra special for Christmas with them. The concept behind Jam J-art is to use a bog standard jam jar & turn it into something new & most importantly, useful! And since it's the time of year for all things twinkly, I decided to share my ridiculously simple but beautifully festive Snowflake Candle Jar with the guys over a Jam J-art.

All you need is a recycled jam jar, some stickers (I used these Snowflake ones from eBay but your standard Gold Star stickers are a good alternative) and a can of spray paint. It really is as simple as putting your stickers on your [clean] jar, giving it a spray with your spray paint - I use black but any colour will work too, just make sure you get a good even covering, two coats should do - and then once dried, remove the stickers. And to really amp up the Christmas-ness, use a Christmas scented tea-light of your choice!

These make the perfect gift as well as the perfect home decoration, especially when the lights are low and the Christmas tree is lit up in it's full glory! I've already got plans to make a number more of these before the big day. If you do decided to give the Snowflake Candle Jar a go, be sure to let me know on your chosen social media with the Diddle Diddle Dumpling Home Made Christmas hashtag #DDDHMC as well at the Jam J-art hashtag #JAMJART.

Happy making!

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Granny Chris' Coconut Ice

Always a favourite for school fairs & coffee mornings, this cavity-inducing creation firmly remains a family favourite, one that my Granny Chris was famous for. So much so that my cousins & I even made a couple of batches to enjoy & reminiscence on the evening of her funeral. It's an extremely easy recipe to follow and doesn't involve any fancy condensed milk or icing sugar, nor do you need to knead it or use any elbow grease at all; it's just your bog standard whole milk & granulated sugar, chucked in a pan! In fact, when Granny Chris first gave me this recipe she didn't even use actual amount for ingredients, instead telling me it was "a bag of coconut, a bag of sugar & half a pint of milk," leaving it open to interpretation to wherever you shopped!

The one thing she never added to her 'recipe' she gave me was Bobby hairs: Bobby was her soppy excuse for a dog who used to stand in the garden, refusing to come in, knowing if he waited long enough he'd be in for a sausage or some cheese. And Granny Chris, being the lovely soul she was would always oblige him. His hair also always made it's way into everything. I obviously don't recommend adding dog hair to this recipe but if you want to get real serious about your Granny Chris' Coconut Ice, that's an essential extra for the authentic stuff!

What You Need.   

500g bag of Granulated Sugar.

Half a Pint of Whole Milk.

200g of Dessicated Coconut.

Few drops of pink food colouring (optional).

Large pan & wooden spoon.

Baking Tray (I use approx. 12"x7")

Method.   

1. Grease your baking tray with a little butter. In a large pan mix the milk & sugar together over a low heat.
2. When the sugar have dissolved and there's no more granules, add the coconut & a few drops of pink colouring (optional) to the pan.
3. Bring the mixture to the boil until it start to "spit at you," stirring continuously. Continue to stir for around 10 minutes.
4. After around 10 minutes the mixture will have become very thick & sticky. "When you can spoon a small amount into cold water & it remains set together, you know it's ready."
5. Spoon the delicious mixture to your pre-greased tin, spreading evenly with the back of your spoon. Allow to cool & set, which will take at least a few hours.
6. Cut into bars of squares & try not to eat the whole lot in one sitting!! 

This recipe is so easy to follow and so insanely delicious that it's a miracle I have any teeth left! It's also great for home made hampers for Christmas presents and an ideal extra if you're doing Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas - it'll definitely be a stocking filler in our household!

This recipe in an entry for Chums Family Favourites competition.

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Spicy Tomato Chutney #DDDHMC

Tomato chutney is a big favourite in our household. Whether it's burgers, baked potatoes or sandwiches, it's the perfect accompaniment to almost any meal! Plus it is one of the best things to have with those Christmas cheeses when you've already over indulged but still have room for a little bit more, ergo a Homemade Christmas Hamper must-have.

At the beginning of the year I bought John a £1 plant pot which came with some soil & tomato seeds inside. On a whim I thought he'd enjoy planting them & watching them grow on the windowsill. Silly me forgetting that tomato plants grow huge and that there was no way that it would be able to stay there. But thank goodness for Papa's with greenhouses! From the early summer onwards, the boys Papa Scott has been nurturing & growing the tomato plants that eventually produced us a bucket load of red, orange, yellow & green little beauties, of all shapes & sizes. I'm quite sure John could have easily eaten them all like a normal person would eat an apple but instead I've used them in this super easy recipe to make them go even further.

What You Need.   
900g Tomatoes (home grown & in various forms is best!).
400g Onions.
225g Light Muscavado Sugar.
1 Tsp Sea Salt.
2 Tsp Mustard Seeds.
1 Tsp of Dried Chilli Flakes.
Seeds of one Cardamom Pod.
200ml White Wine Vinegar.
100ml Red Wine Vinegar.
50ml Balsamic Vinegar.
3 Jam Jars with lids (450g is ideal).

Method.   

1. Chop your tomatoes into generous chunks, leaving any little ones whole. Thinly slice your onions & sterilise your jars.
2. Place all your ingredients into a large pan and bring to the boil, then reducing to a simmer.
3. Allow the chutney to simmer for as long as needed. The original recipe states 30 minutes but I've never had a chutney that is ready in less than 2 hours. Trust me, it's worth the wait!
4. Once the chutney has thickened, allow to cool for 10 minutes before spooning into your sterilised jars.
5. Once sealed in it's jars, leave the chutney to mature for a least a month [ideally] to get the very best flavours from it.

• • •

Like the Caramelised Onion Chutney recipe I shared a few weeks ago, this recipe will get a better flavour the longer you give it to mature, so hop to it & get making! My favourite part of this recipe is the spicy kick from the chilli & mustard seeds, although if this isn't your [or your recipient's] taste you can easily reduce the amount in the recipe or omit it completely. And as always, if you do decide to give this recipe a try, be sure to share on your chosen Social Media with the hashtag #DDDHMC.

A photo posted by Amy Lorimer (@amylorimer) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:20am PDT

Happy making!

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Using Recycled Jars for Preserves #DDDHMC

We're back again after a couple of weeks off with Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas! And with only 2 months to go(!!) it's time to get making. This week is all about recycling jars for our previous (& future) jam & chutney recipes (click here to see them); not only is it great for the environment but it's also great for the purse strings! Ask your friends & family to keep hold of any old jars for you, or if that's not possible, simply buy some value jam (generally less than 50p) and use them instead - & why not use the jam to make some cake or biscuits in the meantime?

• • •

Removing Labels. I have a fear of sticky things. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration. It's not so much a fear but sticky things that are dirty (used plasters, scraps of sellotape, old stickers...) gives me major heebie-jeebies. So when a label comes clean off in one fell swoop, I let out a little sigh of relief. Unfortunately, this rarely happens.
When you're left with that lovely sticky residue there's a couple of things that will help. Depending on how stubborn the residue is, some hot soapy water might just be enough. If not, grab some acetone (the same stuff you use to remove nail polish & false nails) and give it a good wipe. Your sticky mess should come off with ease & just give another wash to remove any streaks on the glass.

Spray Paint Lids. This is such a simple step but it makes such a huge difference. Give you lids a good clean, pop them on a piece of newspaper & in a well ventilated area, then spray away! You'll probably need to do at least two coats, as it's difficult to get an even finish in one spray, but depending on your chosen colour (I like a simple black) you may get away with just one. Just be sure to let your lids dry completely before touching or moving them, otherwise you'll scar them with your finger prints! And top tip; if they end up stuck to your newspaper, give them another wash before sterilising & the newspaper will clean right off.

Sterilising. You should always 100% of the time sterilise your jars & lids, but when using recycled jars, it's even more important. As jams & chutneys are generally kept for a long period of time, it's essential that the jars they're stored in are clean & free of dirt, to prevent any mould forming & spoiling your preserve.
There is various different ways to sterilise jars but my favourite way is in the oven. After washing your jars in some hot, soapy water, pop them onto the oven shelf on top of some baking parchment - lids off! Switch the oven on at around 100°c and leave your jars there until ready to fill. I tend to pop them in just as I'm starting my jam/chutney, giving them plenty time to sterilise.

DIY Labels. Time to get creative! Whatever your style, the quickest & easiest way to transform a recycled jar & personalise them to suit your contents is with a beautiful label. If you're crafty, why not have a go at designing your own labels? The possibilities are truly endless. And if you're not so crafty, fear not; Pinterest offers literally hundreds of printables. I'm still torn on how my final labels will look but I particualrly love the idea of something simple on brown paper, with a festive flare!

• • •

And there you have it folks, some simple steps to getting your started with Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas jams & chutneys. Whether you choose to use recycled jars for environmental or financial reasons, you can't really go wrong! As always, be sure to use the hashtag #DDDHMC on your social media of choice so I can see what creative home made gifts you're whipping up and to follow the progress of all the other Home Made Christmas creations I'll be sharing too.

Happy making!

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Caramelised Red Onion Chutney #DDDHMC

This is an emotional recipe. Delicious (oh, so delicious!), but you will honestly cry buckets whilst making it. I've had laser eye surgery and that was less painful than this recipe. 8 onions. You need to cut 8 onions. And after all that, you only get two jars of the stuff. Of course, you could easily double the recipe and get twice as much but I would highly recommend making two separate batches, should you need extra, as it's simply the easiest way to avoid excess tears. Now, I worry I've maybe put you off completely but this Red Onion Chutney is definitely worth the tears! Not only is this a very easy recipe & makes a great gift, it's also worth making just to keep a jar for yourself.

What You Need.   

8 Red Onions.

1 Red Chilli (de-seeded).

2 Bay Leaves.

25ml Olive Oil.

200g Soft Brown Sugar.

2 Tsp Mustard Seeds.

150ml Balsamic Vinegar.

150ml White Win Vinegar.

2-3 Jam Jars with lids (450g is ideal).

Method.   

1. Thinly slice & half your onions, finely chop your chilli and sterilise your jars.
2. Pop the onions, chilli, bay leaves & olive oil into a large pan and allow to cook over a low heat for around 20 minutes
3. When the onions start to caramelise, add the sugar, vinegars & mustard seeds.
4. Allow the chutney to simmer for as long as needed. The original recipe states 30 minutes but I've never had a chutney that is ready in less than 2 hours. Trust me, it's worth the wait!
5. Once the chutney has thickened, allow to cool for 10 minutes before spooning into your sterilised jars.
6. Once sealed in it's jars, leave the chutney to mature for a least a month to get the very best flavours from it.

• • •

Given the need for this chutney to mature, it's a great one to start preparing for a hand made Christmas right now. Plus it's perfect for cracking open on Christmas day to have with cheeses, for Turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day or like most preserves it'll keep for years (unopened) making it perfect for the warmer weather barbecues to have on burgers & sausage! And if you do decide to give it a go for yourself, remember and use the hashtag #DDDHMC to let me know how to get on!

Happy making!

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Chocolate Fudge Brownies in a Jar #DDDHMC

I'm big on baking. If I'm strapped for cash or lacking inspiration when it comes to gift giving, I'll usually bake something. Sometimes though, baking isn't practical; you've only got a couple of days between baking your goods & actually gifting them, which if you can guarantee you'll see the recipient is fine but in the instance of my eldest sister, I never know when I'll see her next! So when her birthday came around this year, instead of baking something that would be stale (or eaten...) before she got it, I decided to make her Chocolate Fudge Brownies In A Jar!

And the great thing about these Chocolate Fudge Brownies in a jar is that they can also be made in advance of Christmas, taking away the stress of last minute baking on Christmas Eve! Plus they're so unbelievably easy to make, you can even get the kids involved! Not to mention they make me all nostalgic about those sand art bottle kits I used to always receive at Christmas as a kid...

What You Need.   

A 1 Litre Jar (I picked up mine in a charity shop).

½ tsp Salt.
½ tsp Baking Powder.
95g Plain Flour.
35g Cocoa Powder.
75g Plain Flour.
135g Soft Brown Sugar.
150g Caster Sugar.
100g Chocolate Chunks.

100g Fudge Chunks.

Method.   

1. Ensure your jar is very clean before starting; I sterilised mine in the oven beforehand (100°c for 30 minutes). Starting with the Salt, Baking Powder & 95g of Plain Flour, layer the ingredients in order as listed above, pushing each layer down before the next; I used an ice cream scoop to do this but any spoon will do.
2. Once you reach the top, add some scrunched up grease-proof paper to any remaining space between the ingredients & lid to stop them being knocked out of place & ruining the layered affect.
3. Finally, add a label with the following so your recipient knows what they need to do to enjoy their scrumptious Chocolate Fudge Brownies in a jar!

• • •

Remember that if you try any of the tutorials in Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas I'd love to know. You can use the hashtag #DDDHMC on your social media of choice & be sure to let me know in the comments too!

Happy making!

Adapted from this original recipe.

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Blackberry & Apple Jam #DDDHMC

I have a mental list of all the preserves I want to make as part of the Diddle Diddle Dumpling Home Made Christmas. This wasn't one of them. But when you discover loads of brambles in the local park, you're left with little choice but to pick them & get making! And just like the Strawberry Jam, you can't really go wrong with this gift. You need to be quick though, as like with the strawberries, blackberry supplies will be depleting by the time Christmas rolls around. So, get picking & get making!

What You Need.   

500g of Blackberries (preferably wild but shop bought will do).

500g of Cooking Apples (after coring & peeling).

125ml Water.

1kg of Granulated Sugar.

Juice of one Lemon.

1 heaped Tsp of Ground Cinnamon.

½ Tsp of Unsalted Butter.

3-4 Jam Jars with lids (450g is ideal).

Wax Discs.

Method.   

1. Wash your blackberries, chop your apple into small pieces (roughly 1cm cubes) & sterilise your jars.
2. Pop the apple into your pan (again a large heavy based pan, such as a jam pan) alongside the water and warm for a few minutes. Then add the blackberries and heat whilst stirring for 5 minutes, until the blackberries release their juices.
3. Add the sugar & lemon juice to the pan and stir on a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. In case you're wondering, the reason you only use granulated sugar instead of jam sugar in this recipe is because the apples already contain the pectin required (the science-y ingredient required to let your jam set) which you find in jam sugar.
4. Add the cinnamon. This part is optional but gives the jam a bit extra flavour.
5. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for 15 minutes or until it reaches it's setting point. Just like the Strawberry Jam, to check the setting point, spoon a small amount of the jam out and onto a cool plate. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then with your finger, check that it is of the consistency you'd expect of jam. If not, continue to boil for a couple of more minutes & check again. When happy, add the spoonful of butter & stir before switching off the heat - this stops a yucky scum forming on the top of your jam.
6. Allow the jam to cool in the pot for around 10 minutes before spooning it into the sterilised jars. Ensure your jars are still warm as cold jars are likely to crack due to the heat of the jam.
7. Place a wax disc of the top of the jam & seal with your lid. You should get around 3 jars but I like to have an extra jar sterilised & ready, just in case there's more than I expect.

• • •

The use of apples makes this jam a little more interesting, in both preparation & taste. And the smell is divine - I'm tempted to whip up another batch just to have my house smelling so beautiful again! Plus being able to say we foraged the ingredients for ourself is quite a nice wee achievement & will definitely be mentioned on the labels.

If you do decide to give this jam a try for yourself, be sure to share your photos & experiences using the Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas hashtag; #DDDHMC 

Happy making,

Adapted from this original recipe.

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Strawberry Jam #DDDHMC

Welcome to the first edition of Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas! To kick things off I've went with something that's fairly simple & a favourite in every household - the humble Strawberry Jam! This is one gift that will always be greatly received. But if you want to try your hand at it, you need to get moving as they'll only be in season for a few more weeks; after which you'll struggle get any in the shops. But don't worry, the great thing about preserves is that they last for ages, hence why the first few tutorials in Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas will be of this nature.

What You Need.   
1kg Strawberries (ideally home grown, if not Scottish/British are tastiest).
1kg Jam Sugar.
Juice of one Lemon.
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract (optional).

1 Teaspoon of Unsalted Butter. 3-4 Jam Jars with lids (450g is ideal).
Wax Discs.

Method.   

1. Wash your strawberries, cut them in half if they're quite big & sterilise your jars.
2. Pop the strawberries & lemon juice in a large, heavy based pan - ideally a jam pan - and heat for a few minutes to allow the strawberries to soften.
3. Add all the sugar and stir on a low heat until all the granules of sugar have dissolved.
4. Add the Vanilla Extract. This part is optional but gives the jam a little bit extra flavour.
5. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for 6 minutes or until it reaches it's setting point. To check the setting point, spoon a small amount of the jam out and onto a cool plate. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then with your finger, check that it is of the consistency you'd expect of jam. If not, continue to boil for a couple of more minutes & check again. When happy, add the spoonful of butter & stir before switching off the heat - this stops a yucky scum forming on the top of your jam.
6. Allow the jam to cool in the pot for around 10 minutes before spooning it into the sterilised jars. Ensure your jars are still warm as cold jars are likely to crack due to the heat of the jam.
7. Place a wax disc of the top of the jam & seal with your lid. You should get around 3 jars but I like to have an extra jar sterilised & ready, just in case there's more than I expect.

• • •
The great thing about jam is that it literally keeps for years. It is vital that your jars are clean & sterilised though, to ensure no spores or dirt are present as they'll ruin your jam and make it inedible. Don't be tempted to skip that step! Otherwise go for it and give jam making a try for yourself. Just be sure to share your experience & photos using the Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas hashtag on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram; #DDDHMC.

Next week I'll be sharing another jam recipe and be sure to stay tuned over the coming weeks for more info on designing your own jar labels, different ways to sterilise your jars & the first home baking gift of the series.

Happy making,

Adapted from this original recipe.

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram

Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas #DDDHMC

It's an acceptable time to start talking about Christmas, right? Who said no? Well I dub you Scrooge! It's never too early to talk about Christmas! In which case I bring you *drum roll please*

Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas.

We all know Christmas is a pretty pricey time of year, particularly when only just returning to work after Maternity Leave, with one kid whose birthday is in November & another whose is in January (whose bright idea was that?). But it doesn't have to be expensive. Last year, being on only Maternity Pay & refusing to do Christmas shopping with a newborn, I made some nice little jars of chutney for the grandparents & some artwork by the kids for their Aunties. Both were received with great positivity, which has encouraged me to go all out this year & make a whole selection of home made Christmas gifts.

Ok, ok... Obviously, it is still a little early to be thinking about Christmas in great depth but there is method to the madness. My first few home made gifts are jams, which require fruit which will be out of season by the time Christmas comes around, so to make the most of the home made Christmas, preparation starts now. From now until Christmas, every Friday I'll be posting a Diddle Diddle Dumpling's Home Made Christmas tutorial. Food will be a big feature of this because, well, who doesn't like food gifts? But stay tuned for other homemade gift ideas including cuddly toys, quilts & anything else that I fancy trying my hand at. I promise lots of sewing, baking & maybe even some candlestick making! Not only that I'll be posting advice on getting the best from your homemade gifts, how to cut down on the already minimal costs & there will be some inspiration posts in there for good measure too.

First up is Strawberry Jam, which will be going live tomorrow.

I've also decided to start a hashtag for you to keep up with any of the latest creations (mine & yours!) on social media. Instagram is where I like to post sneak previews of what I'm up to so come follow us at @amylorimer and be sure to let me see what you get up to too, using the hashtag #DDDHMC.

Stay tuned,

Facebook • Twitter • Bloglovin' • Instagram