Christmas is just around the corner and I haven't finished my Christmas shopping. Who else is with me?

 I'm one of those people that think that I'm super organised and try to buy all of my presents two months before Christmas. But it never happens and its now just a week before Christmas, I'm running around the mall like a crazy lady looking for gifts.

 This year I have decided to not get stressed and instead take some time out on Christmas eve to do some baking for the little last minute gifts. I have come up with my two favourite treats that work really well to give as gifts, all you'll need is a cute box or plastic bag and ribbon to put them in.

 Chocolate bark is something that is so easy to make and can be customised to fit that persons taste buds. Macarons on the other hand are quite technical but they look amazing and make great gifts, they may not be the healthiest with all that sugar but there gluten free and can be dairy free.

CHOCOLATE BARK

 Ingredients
1 block of 75% Whitakers chocolate
1/4 cup of shredded coconut
Handful of goji berries
Handful of mixed nuts

 Directions
Melt the Chocolate using the double boiler method or in the microwave, tip in half of the coconut and stir until all coated. Line a dish with tinfoil or baking paper poor you chocolate mixture and spread out evenly.
Sprinkle on top the leftover ingredients and pop it in the freezer to harden. Once cooled brake in to pieces and pop in little bags for friends and family.



MACARONS
Serves 10 - 15

 Ingredients
1 cup of icing sugar
1 cup of almonds
2 medium egg white
1/4 cup of caster sugar

 Directions

STEP ONE
Sieve the icing sugar and ground almonds into a large mixing bowl. Throw any lumps left behind away. Mix the two together. In a separate,  clean bowl whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the caster sugar and continue to whisk until the whites are very thick and glossy (ideally, you should be able to hold the bowl upside down without the whites falling out - go on, I dare you !) Gently stir in the icing sugar and almond mix. The mixture will lose some air and become quite loose, don't worry, this is the way it should be. The texture should be like molten lava.

 STEP TWO
Using a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle, fill with the macaron mixture. Place the silicon mat or paper template onto a baking sheet. Pipe small blobs onto the sheet remembering that less is more at this stage because the mixture will settle and form into the allotted spaces. Gently tap the baking sheet a few times on the work surface to help the macaron mixture to settle and to break any air bubbles, then leave to dry for 20 minutes - the surface of the macaron will become smooth and shiny.

STEP THREE
Bake the macarons in the preheated for 14 - 16 minutes minutes, the macarons are cooked when they feel firm and are slightly risen. Slide the mat or greaseproof paper onto a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely Do not be tempted to remove the macarons from the mat until they are cold or you will break them.

STEP FOUR
You can fill the macarons with many different fillings as long as it goes along with the colour of them, brown - Chocolate ganache, blue or purple - Blueberry and cream cheese, Pink - Raspberry or strawberry butter cream, White cream or yellow - lemon curd or vanilla.