ON THE COVER No Bake Treats

No need to slave over a hot stove to make these cheery, delightful Christmas treats, which will disappear in an instant!

Salted Caramel Popcorn Tree

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6) 15g unsalted butter 100g white mini marshmallows 1tsp caramel flavour Green food colour gel or paste 60g lightly salted popcorn 16cm diameter shortbread round 1tbsp golden syrup White piping icing and festive cake decorations to decorate

1 Line a 14cm diameter conical sieve with a double layer of cling-film. If you don’t have a sieve, make a cardboard cone, 12cm long, and line as above. Arrange in a jug or tall container so that it can stand point-side down.

2 Put the butter in a saucepan. Heat very gently until melted. Add the marshmallows and continue to heat gently, until the marshmallows melt. Stir in the caramel flavour and sufficient green colouring to give a vibrant colour. Remove from the heat and mix in the popcorn. Stir well until completely coated.

3 Working quickly, pack the sticky green popcorn mix into the prepared sieve or cone, making sure the contents fill the cone completely. Lay a circle of baking parchment on top and press down with your hand. Leave to cool. Do not refrigerate.

4 When ready to assemble, brush the middle of the shortbread round with the syrup and place on a serving plate or board. Carefully unwrap the popcorn cone and place on top of the shortbread.

5 Pipe garlands on the tree and arrange the cake decorations round the tree to resemble baubles. Top with a star. Store in a cool place until ready to serve.