Providing a high up to four times stronger than smoking, cannabis edibles have a growing appeal. Despite being a daunting hurdle for first-timers, with the right recipe and some portion control, they are an effective means of enjoying cannabis without the coughing and spluttering that can come with smoking.

THE BEAUTY OF CANNABIS EDIBLES

With the legalization of cannabis gaining significant headway, the floodgates have opened for a myriad of next-gen cannabis-infused products. Many dispensaries now offer baked goods, gummies, even coffee—all incorporating your favourite herb.

If the idea of crafting some of your own cannabis-infused culinary treats has your mouth watering, we have just the remedy: five incredibly simple, but super tasty edibles you can make in your own home. Morning, noon, or even as part of a midnight snack, they are all guaranteed to put a smile on your face—not just from the taste, but as a result of the unending waves of euphoria. In the words of Action Bronson, damn that's delicious!

To keep things super simple, 4 out of 5 of the recipes below use cannabis-infused coconut oil to kick these food items up a notch, and the fifth recipe calls for good ol' cannabis flower. Prepare your cannabis coconut oil in advance, perhaps have a jar of it ready to go at all times, and discover the many edibles you will be able to make with canna-coconut oil as a core ingredient. You can always swap out cannabis butter - another staple in cannabis cooking - for cannabis coconut oil, and therefore the possibilities are endless!

CANNABIS CARAMEL CANDIES

Servings: 12 pieces
Recipe Time: Approx. 90 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp cannabis coconut oil
• 3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ cup filtered water
• ⅛ tsp salt

HARDWARE

• Bread loaf pan
• Small saucepan
• Parchment paper
• Candy thermometer

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using the small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients, except for the vanilla extract, over medium heat. Once combined, increase heat to med-high and wait until the thermometer reaches 116°C. While the mixture reaches temperature, line the bread loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the final ingredient, vanilla extract.

3. Pour the mixture into the lined bread pan and leave to cool in the fridge for at least one hour. As long as the caramel is sticky to the touch, it can be cut and rolled into 12 pieces using the parchment paper as a wrapper.

FRENCH TOAST WITH A GANJA TWIST

Is there anything more decadent than french toast in the morning to kickstart the day? Well, now there is: cannabis-infused french toast to supercharge your day. This recipe will provide you with a basic french toast, however, this can be tailored to personal preference by adding fresh fruit, whipped cream or cinnamon as extra toppings. The choice is yours.

Servings: 8 slices
Recipe Time: Approx. 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 french baguette
• 1½ tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp cannabis coconut oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt
• Topping of choice

HARDWARE

• Baking dish
• Fork
• Whisk
• Large mixing bowl

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lightly butter the baking dish.

2. Cut baguette into 2cm-thick slices. Cut them crosswise for a nice, large surface.

3. With a fork, mix the butter and the cannabis coconut oil together in a small dish and spread the mixture on one side of the bread slices. Arrange the slices - buttered side up - in a large enough baking dish so that the slices do not overlap.

4. In a large bowl, combine the eggs with the sugar, milk, vanilla and salt and whisk them up to a smooth and even mix. Pour this over the bread slices and press the slices down as if they were sponges meant to sop up the liquid mixture. No need to cover the baking dish with foil, rather, leave it uncovered.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake toast for about 45 minutes or until they are golden brown. Top with whatever tickles your fancy: powdered sugar and cinnamon, fresh fruit and cream, or perhaps even Nutella or homemade nut butter!

CANNABIS RICE CRISPY TREATS

Servings: 12 pieces
Recipe Time: Approx. 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup nut butter
• ½ cup brown rice syrup
• 2 tbsp cannabis coconut oil
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3½ cup crispy rice cereal

HARDWARE

• 20x20cm baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Medium-sized saucepan
• Large mixing bowl
• Wooden spoon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Line the 20x20 baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Over low to medium heat, combine all of the listed ingredients, except the cereal, and mix thoroughly.

3. Once melted, pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Carefully fold in the cereal, half a cup at a time.

4. Pour the finished mixture into the baking pan, smoothing over the surface with the back of the wooden spoon. You want the mixture to be distributed evenly.

5. Leave to cool in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes. Once cooled, cut into 12 pieces.

CANNA-NANAS: WEED-INFUSED FROZEN BANANAS

Servings: 1 portion
Recipe Time: Approx. 90 minutes

Preparing edibles ahead of time means they will always be available when you need them the most. The following recipe creates small, healthy bite-size treats that are enjoyable at any time of day. The only question is, do you make just enough for yourself or some for your friends as well?

INGREDIENTS

• ½ sliced banana
• ½ tsp cannabis coconut oil
• 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips

HARDWARE

• Small saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Parchment paper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all of the listed ingredients, except for the bananas, into the small saucepan.

2. Over low heat, stir the mixture often until completely melted.

3. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the bananas. Ensure they are adequately coated with the canna-chocolate sauce.

4. Decant onto parchment paper and leave to freeze for at least 1 hour. They can then be eaten at your leisure.

P.S. Don’t forget to lick the saucepan afterwards!

FIRECRACKER WEED CRACKERS

Servings: 1 portion+
Recipe Time: Approx. 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack of graham crackers
• 1–2 tbsp of peanut butter (per cracker)
• 1 gram of cannabis (per cracker)

HARDWARE

• Tin foil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 160°C and roll out a large piece of tin foil.

2. Break the graham crackers in half and spread evenly across the foil.

3. Apply a liberal layer of peanut butter to half the crackers; the oils in the peanut butter will bind with the THC during cooking, so a generous portion is essential.

4. Sprinkle weed over each cracker with peanut butter, making sure the surface of the peanut butter is covered. At this stage, the amount of weed you want to use can be altered depending on how potent you need the crackers to be. A milder dose would be half of that listed above.

5. Place the other half of the crackers on top of the peanut butter/cannabis-laden crackers, creating a cracker sandwich.

6. Wrap each cracker sandwich in tin foil and place in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes.

7. For added flavour, unwrap your cannabis-infused cracker parcels and drizzle with honey or maple syrup.