Truly gifted

I think I must suffer from festive amnesia. It's the only explanation for my dogged insistence on making Christmas gifts for people despite previous disasters and a chronic lack of time.

First there was the year I made the turkish delight that didn't set, followed by the time that the carefully brewed rhubarb vodka leaked all over the back seat of my car en route to being delivered.

Having a sprained wrist and getting ready to leave my job, house and emigrate didn't stop me the time I attempted making shortbread and jars of chutney, though the burns to my one useful hand did give me pause for thought.

It seems I'm not alone in this kind of Christmas DIY mania - John Lewis department stores have reported a rise in all manner of crafty paraphenalia.

There's been a 146.6% surge in sales of baking aids compared to last year, with sales of cake boards and frills up 60.4% and sales of biscuit cutters up 17%.

As well as the obvious delight you get from making something yourself, there is also a financial incentive - just don't make the same mistake I did when I decided to make panforte, an Italian festive treat.

It was all going splendidly well until I accidentally threw £10 worth of toasted hazelnuts off a second floor balcony while trying to remove their skins. Oh well. It's the thought that counts.

You're guaranteed to have better luck with these recipes - they've been exhaustively tested by the experts at BBC Good Food magazine. Now get into the kitchen and enjoy yourself!

MELTING MIDDLE TRUFFLES

These are the perfect not-too dark truffles for a milk chocolate lover. You'll get messy making them, but that's all part of the fun.

Get these made and in the freezer up to a month ahead, then simply pull them out when you're ready to pack them up.

Once they've defrosted, the caramel middles will be melty and the outside truffle just firm.

Makes 40 - costs £6.15

1/2 a 450g jar Dulce de Leche caramel toffee

100g/4oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped

2 x 200g bars milk chocolate, chopped

142ml pot double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

about 85g/3oz cocoa powder, to coat

Make the middles first. Heat the Dulce de Leche in a pan for one minute until warmed and runny, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate and leave to melt. Stir until smooth.

Cover a dinner plate with cling film, oil the cling film well, then tip the mix onto it. Cool, then freeze for two hrs or until very firm.

Put the milk chocolate into a bowl.

Bring the cream to the boil in another pan, then pour it over the chocolate.

Leave for two minutes, then add the vanilla and stir until smooth.

Cool, then chill until set.

Peel the caramel from the cling film, then snip into thumbnail-size pieces; wet kitchen scissors work best.

Spread cocoa powder over a large baking tray. Take a heaped teaspoon of the truffle mix then, with cocoa-dusted hands, poke in a caramel chunk.

Squash the mix around the caramel to seal, then roll into a ball. Put onto the tray, then shake to coat in the cocoa.

Repeat with the rest of the mix, then freeze, or chill if making less than three days ahead.

PER TRUFFLE: 112 kcals, protein 1g, carbs 12g, fat 7g, sat fat 4g, fibre 1g, sugar 10g, salt 0.05g.

SPANISH FIG AND ALMOND BALLS

This is a festive version of Pan de Higo, a dried fig cake that the Spanish traditionally eat with cheese.

Pack the fig and almond balls in cellophane bags, then write serving suggestions on pretty tags, and tie on with ribbon. Pack into a hamper with cheeses, biscuits and port.

Makes six - costs £1.02 per ball

100g/4oz whole almonds, toasted

500g pack dried whole figs, hard stalk and centre of base removed

85g/3oz dried apricots, chopped into small pieces

50g/2oz dried cranberries

1tbsp brandy

1tbsp clear honey

1tsp ground cloves

100g/4oz sesame seeds, toasted

Whizz the almonds in a food processor until most are finely chopped, then tip into a large bowl.

Roughly chop the figs, then whizz to a smooth sticky paste. Scrape onto the almonds then, using your hands, mix together well with the dried fruit, brandy, honey and cloves.

Divide the mixture into six and roll into balls. Tip the sesame seeds onto a tray, then roll the balls in them until covered. Cover the tray loosely with a clean tea towel, then leave the fig balls to dry for a week before packaging.

Will keep in a cool place for 2 months.

PER BALL: 306 kcals, protein 8g, carbs 24g, fat 20g, sat fat 2g, fibre 5g, sugar 23g, salt 0.05g.

SWEET CHILLI JAM

This savoury condiment is a bit different from shop-bought sauces. It's a thicker, stickier version of sweet chilli sauce, and lovely with grilled or cold meats. Better than bought, and cheaper, too! It has a kick, but won't blow your head off. If you're making it for someone who likes things a little spicier, then just swap a few of the red chillies for fiery little bird's-eye or Scotch bonnet varieties.

Makes four small jars, costs £2.35 per jar

8 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped

10 red chillies, roughly chopped

finger-size piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

8 garlic cloves, peeled

400g can cherry tomatoes

750g/1lb 10oz golden caster sugar

250ml/9fl oz red wine vinegar

Tip the peppers, chillies (with seeds), ginger and garlic into a food processor, then whizz until very finely chopped.

Scrape into a heavy-bottomed pan with the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar, then bring everything to the boil. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface, then turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 50 mins, stirring occasionally.

Once the jam is becoming sticky, continue cooking for 10-15 mins more, stirring frequently so that it doesn't catch and burn. It should now look like thick, bubbling lava. Cool slightly, transfer to sterilised jars, then leave to cool completely. Keeps for three months in a cool, dark cupboard - refrigerate once opened.

PER JAR 857 kcals, protein 5g, carbs 220g, fat 1g, sat fat none, fibre 6g, sugar 218g, salt 0.34g

TASTY TREATS

Even if you're all fingers and thumbs in the kitchen, or just too busy to attempt anything of a DIY nature, foodie gifts are still great to give (or receive!). Treat your friends and family to some of these favourites:

THE CHOCOHOLIC: Belgium is the home of dangerously good chocolate but you can save yourself the Eurostar fare - or a trip to Harrods - and snap up a box or two of Galler luxury chocolates online.

These are serious chocolates - with everything from classic 100g bars to deluxe hampers, you're bound to find something for your favourite chocoholic.

The Kaori Gift Box (£14.50) has the real wow factor - it's based on the traditional ink sticks and stones used in Japanese calligraphy.

Visit www.gallerchocolates.co.uk to place an order. Delivery takes two to three working days.

THE CHEESE FAN: Can't decide whether to have dessert or cheese? Now you can have both with a Caws Cenarth mature cheese with cranberries that thinks it's a Christmas pudding. The award-winning organic Caerffili (Caerphilly) miniature Christmas pudding cheese has a fresh lemony flavour with a delightfully creamy aftertaste. One would make a very cute stocking filler for a cheese lover - just remember to put it in the stocking on Christmas morning! Caws Cenarth organic Caerffili miniature Christmas pudding cheese costs £3.95 for 350g, visit http://www.cawscenarth.co.uk/mailorder.htm for stockists.

THE FAMILY TREAT: I've always thought shop-bought biscuits were a pale imitation of the real thing, but I've finally met a cookie to changed my mind.

Like their name suggests, Paul's Extraordinary Biscuits are astonishingly good. Their creator, Paul Tidmarsh, spent seven years perfecting the rich, buttery, crumbly recipe, using the finest ingredients.

They come in a range of flavours - my favourite is the oat, apple chunks and cinnamon version, or perhaps the jumbo raisin and milk chocolate chunk. Then again, the white chocolate and macadamia nut was pretty good too...

Paul's Extraordinary Biscuits come in gorgeous gift boxes or glass jars, making them a great present for that hard-to-buy-for family. Boxes start from £10. Visit www.ptbakery.com to order yours.

These recipes are taken from the December issue of BBC Good Food magazine. The December issue is on sale now, priced £3.10.