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Decorating a small Christmas tree with festive holiday cookies, small fruits and candies makes a unique, and edible dining-table centerpiece.
A two foot potted evergreen (or a small artificial tree) is just about the right size for tabletop use, and has plenty of room to hang lots of holiday treats.
You can wrap candies, nuts and small popcorn balls in wax paper, then in a layer of colored tissue paper. Tie the wrapped confections to the tree using colorful ribbon.
If you're using cookies to decorate, be sure to pierce them while they're still warm, so you can insert a string or ribbon through them for hanging.
You don't have to be an artist to decorate cut-out Christmas cookies. You can use a pastry tube to simply outline gingerbread men or other holiday shapes like Santas and Christmas trees. Confectioners suger frosting, colored-sugars and cinnamon candies are also easy to apply. And either method provides an excellent opportunity to get the kids involved in the project.
Christmas is the perfect time to try your hand at making sugared fruit. It's fast and easy, and will add extra sparkle to the tree. Start by washing and drying fruits like grapes, cranberries, figs, cherries and small plums. If you're using the fruit for decoration only, you can brush it with beaten raw egg whites; if it will be eaten, you need to use pasteurized meringue powder mixed with water. After brushing the fruit with the egg whites or meringue mixture, sprinkle it lightly with sugar, coating evenly. Allow it to dry competly before using it.
Popcorn balls aren't hard to make either. Here's an easy recipe;
You'll need:
2/3 c molasses 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c corn syrup 2 Tbls margarine
1/2 Tbls vinegar 2 quarts of popped corn
Mix molasses, corn syrup and vinegar in large saucepan; stirring constantly, cook until it reaches 280° on a candy thermometer, or until a bit of the mixture dropped into cold water becomes brittle. Add salt and margarine. Gradually pour over the popped corn in large bowl that has been greased with margarine. Mix thoroughly, and as soon as it's cool enough to handle, shape into 1 1/2" balls.
If you're using a green tree, consider adding a string of popcorn garland; on a white artificial tree, add a string of raw cranberries.
Place your decorated tree on a small mirror, a shiny tray, or even a cookie sheet covered in bright metallic wrapping paper. Pile washed fresh fruits and nuts around the base of the tree.
Just be sure to have plenty of extra goodies on hand, because this is one Christmas tree that will need the "ornaments" replaced often.