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At Christmas time we all like to indulge in rich foods, such as Christmas pudding and Christmas Cake, sweets and candy. During the Second World War when food was rationed, children went without sweets. Sugar was rationed to 8oz (225g) per person per month. Sugar is the main ingredient of sweets, which is why they were so scarce and why they became a luxury item.

To make peppermint sweets you will need...

12 tablespoons of icing sugar
1 egg white
green food colouring (optional)
peppermint flavouring and cooking chocolate.

Remember to wash your hands and clean the work surfaces before you begin.

Method...

Add to a bowl the icing sugar, egg white, 4 drops of peppermint flavouring and 12 drops of green food colouring. Mix well and kneed the mixture to form a smooth ball. If the mixture is a little too wet add more icing sugar.

Roll the ball into a large sausage and slice into individual sweets. Use your hands to shape the sweets and leave them on a chopping board to dry.

Melt the chocolate in a dish in the microwave, it will only need a minute or two. Don't over do it, it just needs enough time to melt. If you do not have a microwave, you may need an adult to help. Stand a mixing bowl inside a pan of boiling water on the hob, keep the water simmering. Don't let any water bubble over the side and into the chocolate because this spoils the chocolate. Be careful not to let the pan boil dry.

Dip each sweet into the chocolate half way, and leave it on some tinfoil until the chocolate sets.

To package your home made sweets you could buy a small metallic gift box or gift bag, or you could bundle the sweets in paper napkins tied up with ribbon or tinsel, these look a bit like mini Santa sacks.

A perfect Christmas gift for someone with a sweet tooth.