A few days ago I woke up with a start, let out a strangled “Arrrrrrgghhh”, partially woke up Mr NQN and then scrambled out of bed as if I had found a horse’s head in it.
Do you ever have those times where you forget about things? I just realised that in the chaos of the last few months I had completely forgot to put the Anthony Bourdain Medium Raw copies up for auction as promised! “How on earth did I let that slip?” I wondered chewing on my bottom lip urging my computer to turn on. But then sage, half asleep Mr NQN suggested that now was possibly a better time than any because people could buy them as Christmas gifts. So I took photos and here they are, your very own copy of Medium Raw, signed by the man himself during his recent time in Australia for the Sydney Writer’s Festival, all proceeds going to Tony’s charity of choice, Médecins Sans Frontières! Click here to bid on any of the copies.
The other thing that I almost forgot was Christmas. Well I couldn’t forget it completely, after all there were the telltale decorations everywhere but I was being forced at gunpoint or spousal sad face point into using google calendar after about a year of resisting. I love my paper calendar and although this means that I have to bring said paper calendar with me when I make appointments inevitably garnering some odd looks, I am still quite beholden to it. Mr NQN promised me something good in my Christmas stocking if I stuck to an online calendar (it’s like bribing kids to do their homework). I was flicking through the calendar, which he had populated for me deciphering my messy scrawl, and then I realised that we only had about a month to go until Christmas which necessitate another strangled “Arrrrghhhh”!
Every year for Christmas, I like to make some form of edible gift but this year I thought I’d show you how to put together a few items to complete your own Christmas hamper. There are some items that you can and should start now. These are the Christmas pudding vodka and the home made vanilla extract (both worth their weight in gold), both easy and absolute crowd pleasers. And then there are things like this chocolate crunch cake which you can make up easily and quickly at the last minute. This is from a recipe from the Manna from Heaven cookbook Rachel Grisewood and is as she describes, the very item that she built her whole business from. The clincher is that it takes about 5 minutes to prepare, a bit of time in the fridge and only has four ingredients!
You can slice this up into pieces and place it into cellophane bags or give a whole chocolate crunch cake to a very lucky recipient, just be sure to place it on a disc of foiled cardboard (bought at cake supply stores) as it needs a base as chocolate in this hot weather is not an ideal combination. But as far as chocolate goodies go, it is delightfully addictive-the crunch, the rich chocolate, the nuts and the coconut should you wish to use it conspire to make this one of those things that people will ask you the recipe for. And why not just pop a copy of the recipe in the box too?
So tell me Dear Reader, what do you want in your Christmas stocking this year? And do you make edible gifts and if so, what do you like to make?
P.S. In some fun news, I was interviewed for 48 food in Hawke’s Bay Today when I recently visited New Zealand! Click to expand the article 
Chocolate Crunch Cake
Adapted from Manna from Heaven by Rachel Grisewood published by Allen & Unwin $59.99
The quantity below is for a full batch-I made a half batch so mine was thinner, yours will be double the thickness if using the quantities below.
- 500 g (1 lb) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 150 g (5 oz) golden syrup
- 250 g (8 oz) butter
- 300 g (10 oz) ready-made macadamia nut shortbread,broken into small pieces
- Optional: add 3-4 tablespoons of shredded coconut
1. Line a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) baking tin with baking paper for thinner slices or a 21cms round spring form tin for thicker slices.
2. In a large saucepan over low heat melt the chocolate, golden syrup and butter until the butter and chocolate are just melted and well mixed but do not boil. Add the biscuit chunks and coconut if using, and stir until well coated.
3. Pour the mixture into a baking tin and use the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture. Tap the tin against the bench to get rid of any air bubbles-pop these with a skewer before the chocolate sets.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until set. Turn out onto a clean chopping board and, using a serrated knife, cut into bar shapes.
Christmas tea towel by Dandi
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77 Comments | Add your own
A delicious treat! I bet it is addictive.
Cheers,
Rosa
Yum, this looks SO delicious! Love it.
Love the crunch cake! I make them too and throw in pistachios, cashews and peanut butter
Congrats on the article and your successes, its so exciting. I can’t wait for your book to come out. I certainly hope you will be having a book signing so we can meet
I also make vanilla extract to give as pressie’s!!!! I actually don’t want anything this year. As corny as it sounds, I have wanted a baby for so long, and now I have my little G I think I will be spoiling her
Lorraine, I can tell you’re out of breath busy, but thanks for the reminder on the homemade vanilla. It’s something I’ve wanted to do forever.
It just so happens that I have a new supply of bittersweet chocolate that I think would be wonderful in this recipe. Can you tell me what golden syrup is? Possibly our (U.S.) corn syrup?
Also I would like to bid on one of the copies of Medium Raw. I am in Texas (zipcode 77840). Can you tell me what the shipping would be? Thanks so much.
What a great idea your hamper is, although I am not organised enough to make all those lovely treats in advance. I’m more of a last minute gift baker.
Now you are really scaring me.I mad e this yesterday for a Christmas thing have to do!
I usually make huge jars of Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, because my daughter and I have enjoyed making (and eating half the dough) these since she was an itsy bitsy, but perhaps it’s time for a new chocolate crunch cake tradition since I am drooling all over my keyboard reading this and looking at your photos. Mmmmmmmm!
what a great gift idea!
Ive just made a tonne of my spicy raisins, but unfortunately they are going into someone elses stocking! look at you all ‘double page spreadin’ love it! Christmas pudding vodka is all I need to get through this time of year…
The cake sounds and looks absolutely delicious. Put crunch in the name and texture and the whole thing gets elevated.
I am getting ready to make my own vanilla extract! I seriously can’t believe I just found out how to do it! So excited
What a nice article, and you look lovely and relaxed too
This crunch cake is DECADENT!!!! Oh my, I have friends who would trample me for that cake!
what would I love in my stocking
airlines tickets to Europe !!!
Christmas…just thinking that I have to decorate the house makes me wish to be in January. Well with kids at home this is a must, ok, I can decorate, I enjoy it, but then, when everything is over, we have to return everything to the boxes and store for next year…and all this work occcures when we are in summer, and houses here do not have air conditioning. Anyway, my family enjoyed it. And of course, everybody is expecting for me to make cookies and the fruit cake, my Christmas presents…
that looks all kinds of ridiculously delicious. mentalling filing that one away for December… problem is I know I’ll most likely eatit myself. Oh well, worse things have happened at sea.
Oh I love making homemade gifts. Last year I made the extended family some garlic olive oil and I turned mum and dads “photo bag” in to beeutiful albums and a personalised calendar.
that looks so good – and a great read with the interview too
Ooh very nice! It’s quite similar to Prince Williams biscuit cake, isn’t it, save for the different biscuits and lyles instead of sugar.
I’ll certainly give this version a go too, as I’m a big lover of baking with syrups or honey instead of sugar.
PS. Loved your interview with 48 food. What an amazing & exciting life you are leading!
I like to make preserved lemons and lemon curd. Everyone loves it and it generally lasts until next Christmas if you make enough!
This is my type of recipe – you can’t go wrong! I’m sure a small piece of that cake would be very filling.
Congratulations on the interview – the photo is lovely; I’ll read the article soon.
This sounds yum NQN! I’m trying to make some Christmas presents this year too and so far I’ve been making jam (Pear, rhubarb and ginger and a rhubarb and strawberry) which I will give out to my colleagues, neighbours and friends as gifts. I also plan to make some
shortbread too. In my Christmas stocking I’m hoping for a GHD hair straigtener, Chanel red lipstick and good knives for deboning the necessary birds for a Christmas turducken!
Funny that you almost “forgot” Christmas because that’s all I can think about now!! I can’t wait for it.
Seriously. Macadamia nut shortbread crunch cake?! Get in my mouth now, Santa baby!
Love the Belinda Henley article and your photo: thanks for publishing even if the enlarged copy was still hard on my eyes
! Yes, I too like putting together small hampers of surprises for friends at Yuletide, not necessarily restricting them to food/sweets either. For myself for the end of the year, since as a Buddhist I don’t really celebrate Christmas: shall we humbly ask for health, a little bit of wealth and some happiness 
!
I also love homemade things given to me, I will be making some jam, love mixed berries, or just blackberry or strawberry jams, great recipe of the cake I am going to make it soon, not wait for christmas, any reason to try a new recipe,
Thanks
Congrats about the NZ article, WELL DONE, TRUE!
And in photographing foods that make me D-R-O-O-L too!
MARTHA of Redwood Park, friends have started calling me!
As I LOVE making homemade food gifts for them ade with TLC!!
The Chocolate Crunch cake looks really yummy!! I’ve just started some of the vanilla extract a few days ago – can’t wait to use it!! Have also made some up to give as gifts.
It’s always nice to be able to make something coz it’s so much more personal and meaningful!
That looks delicious! I am definitely going to make this at Christmas time. And what a great article – well done! PS. Can’t wait for the book next year!
A big congratulations for your article in 48 Food,you just keep inspiring all your readers Lorraine!
I’ll be making my Italian Christmas Biscottini soon (1st Dec.) and can’t wait as they signal the beginning of Christmas planning and festivities for me, excited much! If I have time, I may even have a go at making other treats.
What do I want in my Christmas Stocking??? Cooking and/or pastry making classes.
I still haven’t remember about Christmas, and I must keep it that way for the sake of my sanity. Aaaaaaaah!!!!!!
Love this simple recipe, and would love to try it with all sorts of shortbread. Also, I totally donate to MSF monthly and have for years, so I feel all virtuous now
Fabulous article on you. I am in awe that you ever find time to respond to other peoples’ blogs. In awe. I appreciate your thoughtful words even more.
Nice recipe as well.
My Mom always made trays of divinity, fudge, cookies, and fruitcake for friends and family. I try to do something similar, but often fall short. Still…nice memories.
Yum! This reminds me of Nigella’s salted nut crunch bars.
I started making edible gifts a few years ago. I’d much rather receive something delicious than something I won’t use.
Mouth watering recipe for the chocolate crunch cake, and gorgeous too! That’s so cool that you’ve met Anthony Bourdain and have signed books!
I do a lot of Christmas baking edible gifts; I generally make 10-14 different items and create lovely little gift boxes for my friends and neighbours. I know the men really appreciate the sweets even if the woman secretly scorn me for a few extra pounds they may have earned during the holidays!
I’m ‘secretly’ wishing for a Red KitchenAid mixmaster but I think its highly unlikely…maybe for my upcoming 40th instead?
I’ll be giving homebaked gifts to friends and family this year. I think its a nice antidote to the consumer chaos that Xmas inevitably turns into. I’m actually feeling kind of serene about it.
PS: Where did you get your stamp from?
i want some dark chocolate pralines from la maison du chocolat.
or not, i wish for a collier de chien!
Ooh, I think even I could manage to rustle up some of these for last-minute gifts. Thanks for sharing. And congratulations on the article. xo
–What do I want in my stocking this year?
–Chocolate Crunch Cake!
Didn’t you already know, L? Xxx
That looks delicious! Can’t wait to try out the recipe…I love to bake things to give to friends at Christmas so am always on the hunt for new recipes for this!
Haha yes I do that all the time – remember things when I am half asleep! SO FRUSTRATING! your chocolate crunch cake sounds delish.. I need an idea for xmas dinner dessert and my fall back plan is *always* banoffee pie but this looks pretty good too. Might just book mark it.
We always have this cake at christmas! Although we make it in a loaf tin and call it chocolate biscuit cake, it’s essentially the same thing. I don’t think there’s anything better than giving homemade edible gifts at Christmas
Hahaha.. sorry I had to laugh as I imagined you stumbling out of bed thinking of your “forgotten” errand… a bit like me! And how cool you got into a magazine (again!)
Hi Lorraine, for many years during christmas my husband and I buy each other a couple of proper presents then we exchange stockings. The aim is to fill the stocking with inexpensive fun little items but a couple of tiimes he has snuck in a blue Tiffany box, wouldn’t mind that again
It was great to read Belinda’s interview with you.
There are so much I want to say, but I just want to mention that I really, really enjoyed reading your interview and congratulations! Your chocolate crunch cake looks yummy!
Just gorgeous Lorraine and congrats on the interview! I’m definitely going to make this one
This looks great but as soon as I saw the inside of the cake, all I could think was that it’s a giant cake size choc hedgehog slice. Who cares through? It looks delicious
I always bake for the teachers. I spend days baking for them.
This year I am wondering if I will bother considering they have dropped the ball big time.
I haz the grinches.
Perhaps I need to make this to get over myself.
x
Oooh this looks so delicious – I’d never thought of adding shortbread to chocolate! And love your hamper tips – I’m going to do that for a few family members this year, so will be taking your advice on the chocolate treats and vanilla essence.
Have a lovely week darling!
Briony xx
love this sort of slice and would be quite happy with it for a present – can’t quite face the thought of christmas but am hoping to get some christmas baking done this weekend – and have realised we now have three advent calendars – that’s crazy!
What do I want for Christmas? Well a Kitchenaid mixer would be awesome! Also this. I must have that there chocolate crunch cake you have up there.
No daaahling, I definitely don’t make edible gifts. What a pain
I like to get gifts, not give them 
!
*kisses* HH
I have only today been contemplating what will make up my Christmas food gift and I think this has come out on top! Came at just the right time. Thanks!!
ooh!! Macadamia nut shortbread enrobed in that rich chocolate pudding-like cake? SOLD! LOL! I love that chocolate and shortbread combo…so rich, so decadent…so ME! Heeheehee.
Love the article. A fun name for this yummy treat. Of course the Cookie Queen gives away gift boxes of cookies for Christmas. xoxo Mum
I don’t think I should make this – I will eat all of it for breakfast!
That cake looks amazing!! I haven’t been able to shift to using online calenders either.
two recipes in one – I’m collecting Christmas food present ideas at the moment and I’ve got some lime curd in the fridge that I need a recipe for – a lime version the no churn passionfruit icecream sounds the thing. Thanks NGN.
This looks great, I would love to have some of this for xmas!
YUM! great work on the magazine article, how fun
I’m hoping to make something edible this year, still tossing around ideas.
Heidi xo
The crunch cake looks delicous! This year I plan on making royal icing decorated gingerbread cookies and I always make fruit cakes for my family each year
Oooh I’ve made something like this before, and all my friends loved it and assumed lots of work went into it. Only used digestives though, macadamia nut shortbread is hard to come by… I’m sure it’s doubly delicious though!
How lovely! The idea of making my own vanilla extract is very inspiring! Great post, as always.
This one’s a keeper Lorraine!! Just one question: Where does one get their hands Macadamia nut shortbread?
Love your article and commend you !!
Hi Lina-I bought it at the supermarket. I think the brand is Butterfingers!
I would love a kindle in my stocking this year!
I enjoy giving food as gifts. This year I’m making these little Christmas treats we call Merry Mars Bar balls, omitting the chocolate topping from the original recipe and adding a few other Christmas surprises! Absolutely scrummy!
I am a little bit obsessed with my paper calendar too, lol! Love the look of this crunch cake, Lorraine. I’ve been looking for festive homemade treat inspiration and this is perfect!
my husband did that to me too! actually, he bought me an ipod touch to force me over to an online calendar/address book. and, yes, now i’m a convert.
Mmmmm delicious…. I make lots of edible gifts for Christmas, no complaints yet! Congrats on the interview too, that’s fantastic
I want one of your hampers!! I’m hoping to make up some homemade goodies for Christmas this year so this will definitely have to get added to the list.
Congrats on the article
bourdain, chocolate, and coconut, all in the same post. win, lorraine. win.
Hi NQN,
Love your work! Just wondering how long you think this would keep in a cool pantry?
Thank you!
Oh my gosh, this looks fantastic, Lorraine!
How long does this keep for????
So want to make it.
Great interview. You inspire me with the amount of work you churn out, congratulations!
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