So I got the crazy idea in my head that making homemade gifts were the way to go this year. I don’t actually recall where the idea came from, but after seeing the first recipe on Martha Stewart, I did some research (visiting my go-to baking site as well) and watched countless videos of demonstrations of how to make it. I pretty much do this with every new recipe or technique I want to try. I decided that Martha’s recipe was simplest and most practical – meaning I didn’t actually need to use a candy thermometer! and I enjoyed her how to video. My first attempt was a total flop, I thought (wrongly) that I could substitute the dry gelatine with the vegetarian alternative, Agar Agar. It couldn’t have been more of a mess! After 2 days it still hadn’t set and even the food colouring didn’t mix in, it just floated on top of the sticky sugary mass.
In the end, it worked out much better with the proper dry gelatine. I could even tell the difference when mixing it and of course, the food colouring took! The hardest part now is finding finding the patience to leave it and let it set – so hard not to stick my fingers in it!

Pretty pink vanilla

Lemony hearts

And stick blue vanilla (I forgot to take a picture of the blue circles)
I made little gift bags with a few pieces of each colour and found the cutest, ‘vintage-y’ gift tags.

Everyone loved them, its definitely now part of my repertoire!