Christmas Pudding Vodka - one of a dozen boozy homemade Christmas gifts

Now we're into November I'm hoping that it's safe enough for me to start mentioning the "C" word? Feel free to burry your head in the sand but the shops are already overloaded with cards, gifts and decorations so I don't feel too guilty about my first festive blog post for this year. It will help you get in the Christmas spirit in more ways than one as today I'm sharing a dozen boozy recipes for homemade Christmas Gifts. First up my own Christmas Pudding Vodka followed by some fantastic recipes from fellow food bloggers. Be sure to enjoy a wee tipple yourself whilst you're hard at work making these gifts for your friends and relatives.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING VODKA

70cl bottle of good quality Vodka

75g Currants

75g Raisins

75g Sultanas

75g Mixed Peel

OR

300g Mixed Dried Fruit

2 Cinnamon Sticks

2 Teaspoons Ground Mixed Spice

6 Cloves

1/2 a Nutmeg freshly ground

150g Dark Brown Sugar

Vanilla Pod - split and seeds removed

Orange - grated zest and juice

Lemon - grated zest and juice

Mix together all the fruits and spices in a Mason Jar or large bowl and pour over the Vodka.

Seal the jar or cover the bowl with clingfilm.

Place in the fridge for 3 days and shake/stir once a day.

Line a sieve with a layer of muslin (or you can use a coffee filter paper or kitchen towel) and place it over a large clean jug

Pour the dried fruit and vodka mixture into the sieve and strain.

Decant into decorative bottles, ideally with the aid of a funnel to avoid a sticky mess.

Serve at room temperature or from the freezer. Straight, on the rocks or with lemonade or tonic.

Use the fruit (with cloves/cinnamon removed) mixed through softened ice cream or as the basis for a boozy mincemeat.

Butcher Baker Baby - Snowball Truffles (Rum)

Foodie Quine - Baileys, Pistachio & Cranberry Fudge

Tin & Thyme - Chilli & Chocolate Mincemeat (Vodka)

Butcher Baker Baby - Christmas Pudding Rum Truffles

The Hedgecombers - Satsumas Poached in Red Wine

Lavender & Lovage - Spiced Brandy Soused Clementines

The Usual Saucepans - Mulled Gin

Veggie Deserts - Pumpkin Mincemeat (Brandy)

Ren Behan Food - Pomegranate and Vanilla Vodka

Supper in the Suburbs - Limoncello (Vodka)

The Crafty Larder - Earl of Orange Gin

Foodie Quine - Christmas Pudding Vodka

If you're still sober after all that you're doing very well! Vodka, Rum, Baileys, Red Wine, Brandy and Gin is quite some cocktail! If you're not quite at the stage yet of being ready for Christmas cooking I've created a wee montage below featuring all the recipes. If Pinterest is your thing that's the one to share so you can easily find all these fab recipes again when you need them.

at TamingTwins and KerryCooks