Why make and give edible Christmas gifts?

Christmas food gifts are a thoughtful, inclusive, and delicious way to create lasting holiday memories and spread cheer. By investing time and care into baking or creating a culinary treat, you showcase your skills and creativity, making each gift a unique expression of affection. These gifts are delightful to receive, won’t contribute to clutter, and can be customized to suit individual tastes and dietary needs. 

Convinced? Great! Now, if you’re wondering, “What can I make as Christmas gifts?”, well, we’ve got you! 

On to the seven ideas!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 1: Homemade Cookies

Homemade cookies are a timeless and delightful choice as one of your choices for Christmas gift ideas. You can make different flavors and styles that will suit everyone’s taste. It doesn’t have to be holiday-themed either, like gingerbread men or cookies shaped into candy canes—classic cookie shapes and flavors like chocolate chip cookies will do.

But if you want to keep with the season, pack them in decorative tins or cellophane bags tied with festive ribbons. And there, you have an easy, DIY gift of Christmas cookies!

Thinking of what cookies to make? Choose from these classes here at The Bailiwick Academy: Gourmet Cookies by Chef Bam Piencenaves, Best Ever Cookies by Chef Joey Prats, and Unique Cookie Concepts by Chef Miko Aspiras.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 2: Polvoron In A Jar

Polvoron traditionally is eaten molded into shapes, but why not give your loved ones something different? For this holiday season, surprise your loved ones with a creative twist on this classic delicacy by presenting the polvoron powder in mason jars. You can add a spoon so that they can eat out of the jar, but you can also attach instructions on how to mix and mold the polvoron, turning these edible gifts into a cute, delightful activity. 

Looking for the best polvoron recipe possible? Check out Chef Miko Aspiras’ Madrid Fusiòn Polvoron class.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 3: Cakes In Cans

Cakes in cans are a fun and unique edible gift idea for Christmas. Simply bake your favorite cake dessert recipes in a clean, empty can, and you’ve got a portable and delightful item great for Christmas gifting. You have the freedom to choose any cake recipe you like, from chocolate fudge to white chocolate to fruitcake. 

Once baked and cooled, you can decorate the can with ribbons or stickers and add a little note to make it personal. This DIY gift is not only tasty but also shows your creative side. 

Want to give these as gifts during the festive season? Check out Chef Joey Prats’ The Cake Cannery class or Ms. Chiqui Ortiz-Dingcong’s Keto Cheesecakes class for sugar-free, guilt-free options.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 4: Pie

Homemade pie is a heartwarming gift that brings comfort and joy during the holiday season. Whether it’s a classic apple pie or every Pinoy’s favorite pasalubong, buko pie, it’s sure to be a hit. Bake it in a disposable pie tin, let it cool, and then wrap it up with some festive wrapping or place it in a pie box. 

Add a little tag with a sweet message or the recipe, and your delicious, thoughtful food gifts are ready to go!

Looking for an easy recipe to make pies? Check out Chef Jimbo de Panadero’s Bakery-Style Buko Pie class or Chef Joey Prats’ Fabulous Pies class.

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 5: Savory Treats In Jars

Not everyone has a sweet tooth, and that’s where savory treats in jars come in handy. You can layer ingredients for a soup mix, create a homemade spice blend, or even jar up some chili oil, marinated olives or feta. These edible Christmas gifts in a jar are not only tasty but also show that you’ve put thought into catering to different tastes. 

It’s definitely a great way to introduce friends and family to new flavors and recipes—and are great for business way after the holiday season.

To get more specific, you can:

• Enroll in Gourmet in a Bottle by Chef Chona Garcia-Laureta for some long-lasting, gourmet fish treats;
• Get Chef Allan Mertola’s recipe for Chili Garlic Sauce in his Dimsum 101 class, which we’ve heard are best-sellers for plenty of Bailiwickers; or
• Take Chef RV Manabat’s All-Natural Meat Processing class and learn his recipe for preservative-free Garlic Atsara, which, as we all know, is enjoyed by many Pinoys!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 6: Christmas Ham

A Christmas ham is already a popular Christmas gift idea here in the Philippines, so why not make your own for a really perfect gift? You can be sure that receivers will appreciate this homemade edible gift, especially during family dinners for the holiday season.

And if you want to make some of the best hams ever, enroll in Sir Rodney Martinez’ Delicious Glazed Hams class. Make two kinds of hams and glazes that will take your loved ones’ ham experience to the next level!

Edible Christmas Gift Ideas To Make 7: Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate truffles are luxurious and decadent homemade Christmas gifts, perfect for those who appreciate the finer things in life. You can make them at home using good quality chocolate, cream, and a bit of butter, then roll them in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or coconut flakes. Place them in a small box or cellophane bag tied with a ribbon, and you have an elegant gift ready to go.

And believe us, when you give these as gifts for friends, they will love you for life! After all, chocolate truffles are not just a gift; they’re an experience, rich and full of flavor. When you taste your creation, this homemade gift might not make it to your loved ones—they’re that good!

Speaking Of Chocolate Truffles…

If you’re on the hunt for a treat that’s both easy to make and irresistibly delicious, you’ve hit the jackpot! Check out Chef Chona Garcia Laureta’s class: Chocolate Cookie Truffles!

Enroll in this class and get an easy recipe for no-bake Chocolate Cookie Truffles! Imagine biting into a glossy chocolate shell and finding a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth center – that’s exactly what these truffles offer. They’ll strike the perfect balance between simplicity and indulgence, and are suitable for any occasion, making them a versatile gift option, not just during the holidays.

Ready to dive in? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy today to start making these homemade food gifts! They’re simple but decadently delicious treats that are sure to impress!

Final Thoughts

We hope you found one you want to try from this list of edible Christmas gift ideas to make! This holiday season, let your loved ones know just how much you care with thoughtful, homemade gifts. From sweet to savory, there’s a delightful option for everyone. 

Get creative, personalize your gifts, and embrace the joy of giving. Happy holidays!

— 

Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more baking and cooking tips, kitchen tricks, and much more!

What makes drinking coffee great, anyway?

Well, morning coffee is great in that it wakes us up. After all, the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant. It helps make us alert and gives us better concentration and focus.

It also helps that studies show the different benefits of consuming coffee, such as reducing the risk of diseases like Parkinson’s and Type 2 Diabetes.

People who love indulging in a cup of coffee or two often debate what makes it taste the best. Good coffee has a nice smell, the right amount of sourness, a good feel in the mouth, and a great taste. Making the best coffee starts with picking the right coffee beans and ends with making it just right for your taste buds.

How do you do that? 

Well, coffee can be roasted in different ways. For example, light roast coffee has a sharp taste and might remind you of flowers. Medium roast coffee is well-rounded, and dark roast coffee has a strong, smoky taste. 

Simply put, you choose the roast level you like best. The right pick can make your coffee taste even better.

So why are coffees and pastries great together?

There’s a special kind of magic when you drink coffee while consuming a fresh pastry—ask any coffee drinker! It’s not known to be an unusual food combination that works; it just is. But why DO coffees pair well with them?

Well, here are a few reasons:

• Contrast of flavors: The bitterness of the coffee balances out the sweetness of many pastries, making each sip and bite a delightful play of taste.
• Texture play: The smoothness of coffee perfectly contrasts the flaky, crumbly, or chewy textures of different pastries.
• Temperature balance: A hot cup of coffee with a room temperature or even a cold pastry creates a pleasant temperature contrast in your mouth. It can also be cold brew coffee paired with a freshly baked pastry.
• Boosting tastes: Coffee can enhance certain flavors in pastries, like chocolate or nuts, making them taste even richer—and make for richer desserts!
• Satiety: The caffeine in coffee combined with the carbs and fats in pastries can give a satisfying feeling of fullness.

There can be more, but in short, coffee and pastries just feel right together!

But as we all know, there are different kinds of coffees and different kinds of pastries. So, what are some good pairings? Let’s get to the heart of this article, shall we?

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Espresso and Chocolate Croissant

While the croissant has its roots in France—like the opera cake and the baguette—it’s a popular pastry option in many bakeries across the Philippines. And while plain croissants taste great, what would make them even better?

Giving them a chocolate flavor and drinking them with an espresso! The robustness of an espresso contrasts beautifully with the sweet, buttery layers interlaced with chocolate. You’re in for a good time with this dessert pairing.

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Latte and Ensaymada

The fluffy and cheesy ensaymada—especially the one made by Chef Joey Prats—offers a sweet contrast to the creamy latte, whether it’s a hot or an iced latte. With this pair’s complementary flavors, you’ll enjoy a creamy delight in every bite.

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Cappuccino and Butter Cake

Love the frothy and mild bitterness of a cappuccino? It will be made even better with a butter cake’s moist buttery goodness. The cappuccino’s fluffy top will cut right through the butter cake’s sweetness, making every sip and bite just right—a simple and enjoyable pairing.

Make sure to enroll in Chef Joey Prats’ Amazing Butter Cakes Master Class for the best butter cakes you can experience—make them in different flavors, too!

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Americano and Spanish Bread

Fun fact: an Americano is simply black coffee that has been watered down. Why? Well, the Americans stationed in Italy back in World War II found that the Italian version of black coffee was too strong.

They requested their particular coffee to be weaker, which the Italians did, calling this version “Americano” to distinguish it from the Italian coffee. Cool, huh?

Anyway, the Americano is still pretty strong and is a great counterpart to the sweet butter and sugar filling of a Pinoy bakery favorite, the Spanish bread. Incidentally, it’s called Spanish bread, which is not Spanish at all—another fun fact! 

You know what else is fun? Making Spanish bread using Chef Jimbo de Panadero’s recipe. Try it for yourself—you won’t regret it!

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Cold Brew and Banana Loaf

Cold brew coffee stands out for its silky smoothness, thanks to a brewing process that extracts the gentle coffee bean flavors and leaves out the typical coffee bitterness. The coffee becomes light and refreshing.

This also makes it a good pair with a banana loaf, a soft and sweet bread that gives a comforting and slightly sweet taste. Try it out; you’ll appreciate the cold brew’s mellow notes seamlessly going with the banana loaf’s sweetness. 

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Flat White and Pandesal with Cheese

The pandesal is one of the most iconic breads in the Philippines. Heck, entire franchises have been built selling nothing but this bread! It’s also a favorite during breakfast and merienda, especially when eaten with cheese slices.

Want to make the experience even better? Do a food pairing: pandesal with cheese and a hot flat white! This drink’s creamy texture and subtle coffee notes enhance the taste of the pandesal, and its richness complements the saltiness of the cheese, creating a perfect balance.

Best Coffee and Pastry Pairings: Macchiato & Egg Pie

The macchiato is one of the most beloved coffee drinks, probably because of its hints of caramel. It’s strong but has a sweet side because of these caramel flavors. On the other hand, the Filipino egg pie is a soft dessert filled with creamy custard with a gentle sweetness.

And when you pair them, the caramel coffee flavoring makes the egg pie’s sweetness stand out more. At the same time, the creamy pie balances the strong coffee. In other words, the caramel undertones of a macchiato beautifully enhance the creamy custard filling of the traditional Filipino egg pie.

And, of course, for the best egg pie you can make and eat, check out Chef Jimbo’s Classic Filipino Egg Pie class!

Want to learn more about pastry and coffee pairings?

These are just some coffee pairings with Filipino food. Want to learn about pairing coffee with other desserts? Or get better at making coffee?

Well, you’re in luck with Chef Ely Salar’s newest online class: Artisanal Coffee and Pastry Pairing!

With this class, you can explore making artisanal coffee with an in-depth look at espresso-making, coffee fundamentals, and even machine calibration! You’ll be able to make all coffee cups a work of art.

Not only that; you’ll be able to make flavorful coffee, too, such as:

• Cappuccino
• Flat White
• Hot and Iced Americano
• Hot and Iced Lattè
• Hot and Iced Tablea Cafè Mocha
• Hot and Iced Matcha Specialty Drink
• Hot and Iced Spanish Lattè

You’ll also get a recipe for various irresistible mini-pound cakes for some irresistible coffee and dessert pairing. Whether you’re looking to start a food business, want to know more about coffee, or just indulge in better coffee, this class is for you!

So what are you waiting for? Sign up at The Bailiwick Academy and make leveled-up coffee and dessert pairings today!

Conclusion

Isn’t it great to know that our favorite Filipino treats and different kinds of coffees are a match made in heaven? From our loved pandesal to the sweet egg pie, there are different kinds of coffee out there that make them taste even better! 

Of course, this list is far from conclusive. We encourage you to try new coffee and pastry pairings and find your favorite match. There are more out there—and not just with Filipino treats!

And if you’re curious to learn more and make your own great coffee at home, don’t forget to enroll in Chef Ely Salar’s class here at The Bailiwick Academy. Cheers to more delicious mornings and afternoons ahead, and see you in class!

— 

Keep coming back to The Bailiwick Academy blog for more kitchen and baking tips, tricks, and much more!