Since it's a time for saving and the atmosphere isn't very festive, we've decided to offer you some ideas to bring a little sweetness to the year-end celebrations. Our wild idea: to motivate you to kill two birds with one stone for the planet by offering your guests a Christmas feast that's as beautiful as it is delicious. Goodbye plastic decorations; this year, you're getting behind the stove to cook up an edible, fun, and delicious decoration. It's an excellent excuse to keep your little chefs busy with a culinary workshop while the elves finish their gift-giving mission. Are you ready to savor Christmas to the fullest?
Why wait until Christmas Eve to cook when you can spread that warmth in your home every weekend in December? Here are some DIY cooking ideas to make with your favorite little hands!
We love Christmas shortbread, they are a must for edible decoration. Butter, flour, eggs, a hint of lemon, and you're set! The fun part is watching them roll out the dough with their little arms and choosing pretty patterned rolling pins or cookie cutters to shape your Christmas heroes. Gingerbread men, reindeer heads, stars... Let your creativity flow and don't forget to make a hole with a chimney during baking. This is how you'll thread a string to hang your crispy shortbreads on your beautiful tree. When exposed to the air, they only last a week, so you have a perfect excuse to eat them!
Christmas without chocolate is a bit sad, but consuming an unethical product is too. The good compromise is to choose your fair trade raw materials and make your chocolates to avoid overpackaging. Invest in molds and pour your half-spheres. Once cooled, unmold gently, fill with marshmallow, dried fruits, or caramel, and then assemble everything to form your delicious chocolate ball. Here too, remember to insert a fabric attachment before sticking them to proudly display your creations here and there. For the artists, get creative with beautiful handmade decorations using natural food coloring and a brush.
The Christmas ambiance also comes with a scent, that of winter, the blanket, and the crackling fireplace. If you don't have all that on hand, cut some slices of orange, lime, cardamom, cinnamon, and chili and make a winter potpourri. As a bonus, you can serve it as a herbal tea to imbibe the Christmas spirit! To entertain your little elves, invite them to create small winter characters by sticking cloves and other spices into an orange. Breathe in, breathe out, it smells like vacation!
If we love Christmas markets so much, it's for their beautiful chalets. Take on the challenge of building your own gingerbread Christmas village, which will amaze your guests! Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, almond powder, and gingerbread mix, as far as ingredients go, there's nothing too complicated. As for assembly and decoration, you'll need a little patience, but the astonished look on Aunt Julie's face is well worth the effort!
On Christmas Eve, if opting for an eco-friendly menu doesn't whet your appetite, consider a festive buffet for a convivial alternative, especially if your recipes are as cute as can be!
Filling and delicious, Elf Burgers are a guaranteed success, even if you're not a master chef. Bread, patty, cheese, sauce... A good burger base, dressed up for Christmas! Olives for eyes, a tomato for a nose, mozzarella for a beard, pretzel for strange ears, and you'll spark jealousy in Santa's HR department! They're so irresistible that you'll hesitate before taking a bite...
Still among the classics, pizza gets a twist with straw poking out of the crust! Cut the dough into triangles, fill them with different toppings, then insert a straw into each piece, like an ice cream stick, before baking. Then stack your pizza forest vertically to create your Christmas decoration. It's practical to avoid getting greasy fingers!
An edible Christmas decoration without a stocking for hiding gifts? Impossible! For appetizing Christmas boots, the secret is the sausage. White, black, or cocktail sausages, simply cut them and use a toothpick to turn yourself into a shoemaker chef. A mascarpone whipped with parsley and garlic, deposited with a pastry bag for decoration, will amaze your guests!
Easy to make with kids, the puff pastry Christmas tree can be customized with a variety of fillings, from strawberry jam to pesto. The trick is to cut your pie crust into a Christmas tree shape, brush the branches with your filling, and then braid them together. When baked, your tree will expand. All that's left is to enjoy it!
Christmas is also about giving small tokens of appreciation to your guests. Here, your little chefs have their work cut out for them...
For gifting or hanging on your door, a royally delicious Advent wreath! Get a foam base, toothpicks, soft caramels, and a delicate touch... Stick each candy until you cover the entire base, and finish your work with pretty ribbons. Red and white candy canes are also recommended for a more graphic look.
Your favorite meringue recipe, a pastry bag, a decorative chocolate pen, and you'll add to the family with an army of snowmen that are as crunchy as they are cute. For a pointy nose, an orange zest is the tastiest choice!
Christmas means reindeer! To raise a herd that will delight the gourmands, equip yourself with a bag of marshmallows, melted chocolate, and skewers. On one side, make eyes, nose, and antlers with white chocolate; on the other, dip the marshmallows in melted milk chocolate. Let them cool for a few hours, and then bring your characters to life with a touch of hot chocolate as glue. Pro tip: cheat with M&M's for more color and less hassle!
A chic and affordable gift to extend the invitation for a sweet break? A cookie kit, of course! For each guest, put everything needed to make the best Christmas cookies at home in a beautifully decorated airtight jar. Flour, sugar, yeast, a spoonful of baking soda, and signature toppings. Chocolate chips, oats, marshmallows, hazelnuts... Customize your creations according to your inspiration! Don't forget to add a sweet note that will survive the tasting...
Now that the Christmas spirit has entered your home, how about spreading these good vibes throughout France? Treat yourself to a breath of fresh air before the busy holiday season, plan a peaceful getaway at one of our 380 Campanile hotels and restaurants. Whether in France or Europe, as a couple or with family, our teams are waiting to share the festive and convivial atmosphere of Christmas with you throughout the month of December. Our chef has already prepared a special menu for you! See you soon in the comfort of your Campanile room...
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