Vision of Homemade Sugarplums

In October, as always, I’d planned an old-fashioned holiday, with me in the kitchen making spicy cookies, glittering hard candies, rich chocolate truffles and decadent sauces to lovingly package and give to my nearest and dearest.

That’s usually as far as it gets: Great plans, lousy follow-through. But this year, those visions of homemade sugarplums are no longer dancing in my head; they are on their way to the post office for mailing, leaving the rest of my brain free for the usual last-minute trips to the mall for shopping and to the attic for tree trimmings.

I’m not usually so organized, but this year is different. This is the first year that I not only planned ahead, I also figured out how to do it.

Here are some secrets to making and wrapping beautiful, delectable homemade sweets for giving. Note that each one takes less than 30 minutes start to finish. Now that’s enough to give you the holiday spirit!

Dessert Sauce Trio

Fill baby food jars with these sauces, covering the lids with glued-on snippets of colorful fabric, wrapping paper or ribbon trimmings. Set the jars in a little basket along with a gift certificate for a pint from your favorite ice cream parlor.

Note that each recipe makes about 1 cup of sauce, which can be refrigerated up to two weeks.

* Mocha Ganache Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together 6 ounces chopped dark chocolate (plain or flavored with hazelnut, raspberry, almond, mint or coffee) and 1/2 cup whipping cream. After about 3 minutes, when sauce is smooth, stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur or coffee syrup.

* Scotch Butterscotch Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup whipping cream, 3 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup until it is boiling. Boil gently 5 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons Scotch whiskey and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

* Cranberry Orange Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat together 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (homemade or purchased), 1/4 cup cranberry or orange liqueur or orange juice and 2 teaspoons grated orange zest. Bring just to simmer over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

Peanut Brittle Stacks

Make Simple Peanut Brittle (5 minutes and no candy thermometer needed), break into big pieces, stack 4 or 5 pieces on a sheet of clear or colored plastic wrap. Gather the paper together, twist and tie with curlicue ribbons.

* Simple Peanut Brittle: Line a baking sheet with buttered aluminum foil. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup until smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Cover and cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups lightly salted small peanuts, raise heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered and stirring, until nuts are fragrant and syrup is dark golden, about 5 minutes. Quickly pour mixture onto baking sheet, spreading as thin as possible. Cool, then peel candy away from foil. Break into pieces. Store, covered, at room temperature, up to five days.

White Christmas Truffles

Elegant, exotic little candies can be set in glittering miniature muffin foil cups, then arranged, three or four each, in little clear plastic or metal tins or washed and spray-painted tuna cans (to use later for jewelry or even paper clips) for giving.

* In a bowl set over, but not touching, simmering water, or in a microwave, gently melt 8 ounces white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate with hazelnuts. Stir in 1/4 cup creme frai^che, 2 teaspoons rose water and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring once or twice, until cool and thickened, about 15 minutes. Form into 24 1-inch balls. Put 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts on a plate. Roll each ball in nuts to coat. Refrigerate at least 5 minutes before serving. Refrigerate up to five days or freeze up to a month. Makes about 20.

Nutmeg Butter Balls

Tie little plastic bags of cookies with thin ribbon weighted at the ends by being tied around whole nutmegs. You could also tie the bag to a nutmeg grater, which is one of my very favorite inexpensive little gadgets. Once you’ve had a heady whiff of freshly grated nutmeg, there is no going back to the commercially ground powder.

* In a medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 egg yolk. Stir in 3/4 cup flour to make a stiff dough. Pinch off and form 16 to 18 balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until pale golden, about 17 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes on a rack. Store, covered, up to 5 days or freeze up to 1 month. Makes 16 to 18.

Sugarplums

My Sicilian nana made these to serve with a glass of sherry, which is still a nice idea. Indeed, you could give them in a pair of old-fashioned sherry glasses.

* In a food processor, finely chop together 1 1/2 cups mixed chopped dried fruits, 1/2 cup slivered almonds and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add 2 tablespoons brandy, bourbon or orange juice. Process until mixture is finely ground and sticks together, 10 to 15 seconds. Pinch off and form 20 balls. Place 3 tablespoons granulated sugar on a small plate. Roll each ball in sugar to coat. Dry on a plate or tray at least 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate, covered, up to one week or freeze up to one month. Makes 20.