Need your help for holiday gift idea.. The Nutcracker

[supernova]

Short version, I'm cash strapped this year (who isn't?) with being unemployed and all, so I will be making my gifts this year.

Since I really love the Nutcracker ballet, I got the idea of giving a box of homemade candy/what have you based on all the "ethnic" dances in the ballet. In the PR for the ballet, these dances are sometimes called "sweetmeats." I thought, what if you could make of box of those sweetmeats?

So, I find myself trying to come up with some of them and here's where I could use some help. Some are straightforward, others are not, or I just don't know enough to come up with anything.

Here are the dances and what I plan to do:

Chocolate (Spanish Dance)
It's obviousl, but I think I could get by with having a kind of chocolate/chili pepper combo,

Coffee (Arabian Dance)
Either a coffe flavored ganache or caramel would work here.

Tea (Chinese Dance)
Here's where I'm lost. I'm not aware of any tea flavored candy, though I have seen green tea ice cream. Perhaps a green tea hard candy?

Trépak (Russian Dance)
Another stumper. Is there a candy or cookie in russia that is very popular this time of year?

Dance of the Reed Pipes
Would be nice, but not necessary and nothing comes to mind here.

Polchinelle (The Clown)
Waltz of the Flowers
I've thought about sugared flowers, but don't know how practical that is this time of year. The usual thing is sugared pansies.

Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy)
I found this recipe from someone who says it's from Saveur:

http://userealbutter.com/2007/11/18/sugar-plums-recipe/


So, does anybody have any idea about what I could use for Chinese and Russian treats?

[Warpy]

1. Koliadki are Russian cookies

I found a recipe but you'll need a kitchen scale in metric to do them: http://www.russianfoods.com/recipes/item001EC/default.asp

China's got me stuck, they just don't have a real sweet tooth there although they're getting used to warm-warm Coca Cola. They do have a variety of chestnut over there, so perhaps a chestnut confection might do.

[supernova]

3. Thanks!

This is a very good possibility.

They sound like sweet versions of peroggi and baked instead of steamed/boiled.

[Tesha]

2. oooh Truffles?

http://candy.about.com/od/trufflerecipes/r/greenteatruffle.htm

what a great idea! you're going to please everyone you gift...

how about...

Green Tea Truffles

White chocolate truffles infused with green tea and finished with slivers of candied ginger. This recipe requires several extended periods of chilling, so be sure to plan ahead.
Ingredients:

Scant 1 cup cream
2 pounds white chocolate, finely chopped
5 green tea bags
Green candy food coloring (optional)
4 ounces candied ginger, finely sliced
Preparation:

1. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer and bubble around the edges. Immediately remove from the heat and insert the teabags. Cover the saucepan with clingwrap to intensify the steeping, and let sit for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, melt 1 pound white chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave.

3. After the tea has steeped for 15 minutes, remove the tea bags and squeeze them over the cream to extract as much flavor as possible. Combine the cream and the melted chocolate in a bowl, stirring gently with a whisk until entirely incorporated. If desired, add a few drops of green candy food coloring. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, 3 hours or overnight.

4. Coat hands with powdered sugar and scoop balls of ganache with a spoon. Roll between hands and place on foil-lined baking tray. Continue until all truffles are formed. Return to the refrigerator and chill until firm enough to dip, at least 1 hour.

5. Temper the remaining pound of white chocolate. Add a few drops of green candy food coloring, if desired.

6. Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate one by one, using dipping tools or two dinner forks. Place the dipped chocolates back on the baking tray and, while chocolate is still wet, decorate with slivers of candied ginger. Once all are dipped, place them back in the refrigerator to set. Bring to room temperature to serve.

[supernova]

4. I like the white chocolate

This would be pretty easy to do.

I have to find a really good grade of green tea though. My SO said the big box of GT I got from Costco tasted like cardboard. :P :rofl:

[hippywife]

5. That's a really creative idea.

Not sure what to suggest for the ones you haven't come up with yet, tho. But great thought! :hi:

[supernova]

7. Thanks!

:D

I was trying to be different.

[Tesha]

6. How about those lacy cookies you roll...

over a wooden spoon handle while still warm for the Dance of the Reed Pipes

[supernova]

8. Ohh! I hadn't thought

of those.

Good idea, Tesha!

[hippywife]

13. That is an excellent idea, Tesha!

I couldn't imagine what would work for that. :thumbsup:

[grasswire]

9. when I think of sweetmeats...

...I think of sugared dates stuffed with an almond or something like that. Can you fit that in somewhere?

[supernova]

10. Oh sure,

my sister used to make something like that:

you halve the date put in a cube of marzipan that's been colored with food coloring (usually red or green this time of year) then topped off with a blanched almond half. Looks pretty and is definitely sweetmeat. :D

[housewolf]

11. A couple of ideas

I caught an online piece on the Food Network about a cookie swap, and someone mentioned making Chai Shortbread. I can't find a recipe at the Food Network (it might be part of their 12 Days of Cookies thing that hasn't been released yet), but if you Google Chai Shortbread Recipe you'll find some. Or try Green Tea Shortbread, you might find a recipe for that. As for the flowers, lavender or rose shortbread could be a possibility.

As for Russian... those little pecan butterballs rolled in powdered sugar are also called Russian Wedding Cookies (as well as Mexican Wedding Cookies). They're always a hit. I don't know if Ru

Sweetmeats could be any sort of sugared & spiced or glazed nuts, and there are tons of recipes available.

Here's a recipe for a Golden Rugalach filled with hazelnuts, golden raisins and apricot that might fit in somewhere
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/golden-rugalach-recipe/index.html

What a wonderful, creative idea. I'm sure those who lucky enough to receive your gifts will enjoy and appreciate the goodies as well as your thoughtfulness, creativity and inspiration.

[grasswire]

12. maybe your reed pipes could be candied orange peel

(I have a thing for that lately)

[hippywife]

15. LOL

We all get stuck on a good idea once in a while. When something tastes so good to me that I get only once in a while, I tend to eat a lot of it for a while. And if I'm not eating it, I'm thinking about it. :rofl:

[eleny]

14. Chewy ginger candy for the Chinese

I like those little rectangular ginger candies that come wrapped individually in paper that can be found in Asian markets. I think this recipe would work and it looks super easy.
Scroll down - http://www.ehow.com/way_5289483_soft-ginger-candy-recipe.html

[tigereye]

16. that's so clever, Supernova! wonderful idea.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Chocolate straws for the reed pipes

When I first met Sparkly (many years ago) she was dancing The Arabian. Before I met her, she had also danced The Spanish Dancer.

[Sparkly]

18. Russian is often represented by candy canes...

And you might think about "Mother Ginger," too! :)

Great idea!