Handmade Christmas Challenge

It seems the more people I talk to about this little Handmade Christmas Challenge, the more ideas are generated and the more fun I have. So this week, I thought I'd share with you a little homemade recipe you can make as a Christmas gift that my friend Jay swears by. Jay comes with his own testimonial - "Its not only a crowd pleaser but it's so good it usually gets consumed on Christmas day as soon as its handed out and then it's a real hoot because everyone gets sloshed".

So my dear friends, here is the recipe for Baileys Irish Cream. Think about the beautiful gift wrapping possibilities - you could store them in old vintage bottles. You could make up labels like the above image using an illustration from an old Christmas card on top of a piece of doily cloth or jute with a nice little decoration to hang off the neck of the bottle. It keeps for two months and is oh so delicious. You could pass it off as a suped-up version of the traditional egg nog!

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk*
1 2/3 cups Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

*I've been told the condensed milk can make it a bit too sickly sweet so you could halve the quantity if you like.

Directions
In a blender, combine heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, Irish whiskey, instant coffee, chocolate syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Shake well before serving.

What wonderful creations are you making for Christmas? Have you spied someone elses creation that would be perfect for a loved one? Perhaps you need some help with a few ideas. To join in, just leave a comment and simply add your link below.

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