The best cherry and chocolate cheesecake

“You can't beat a good cheesecake and this one is mega – the cherries take it to a whole new level ”

For the cheesecake

150 g unsalted butter , melted, plus extra for greasing

300 g dark chocolate digestives

100 g golden caster sugar

3 tablespoons cornflour

900 g full-fat cream cheese

2 large eggs , preferably free-range or organic

100 ml double cream

1 orange

50 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) , broken into small pieces

For the cherries

300 g dried sour cherries

3 heaped tablespoons caster sugar

1 orange

1 stick cinnamon

1 vanilla pod , halved lengthways

1 splash rum, brandy or grappa

For the chocolate sauce

100 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) , broken into pieces

200 ml single cream

Method

1. I’ve used cherries here because they take two things that are already delicious together – cheesecake and chocolate – to a whole new level. You really can’t beat a good cheesecake and this one is mega.
2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line the bottom and sides of a 24cm springform __cake tin with butter.
3. Finely crumble the biscuits into a bowl then mix in the melted butter. When it’s well combined, spoon it into the __cake tin, spread it evenly so it covers the base, then press it down. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes, then let it cool. Turn the oven up to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
4. To prepare the cherries, add them to a pan with the sugar, the zest of the orange, the juice of half, and the cinnamon. Scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and put them to one side. Add a splash of rum and the vanilla pod to the pan, then put it on a low-to-medium heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave to cool.
5. To make the cheesecake, combine the sugar and cornflour in a bowl, then add the cream cheese and beat well. Add the eggs and beat again until the mixture is smooth and light. Slowly beat in the cream, then add the reserved vanilla seeds and zest of the orange, and beat again.
6. Using a slotted spoon, take half the cherries out of the pan and gently fold them into the cheesecake mix with the chocolate. Spoon this over the biscuit base, and gently shake the cake tin to level out the surface. Pop a few cherries on top and gently press them in. Scoop the remaining cherries and juices into a small bowl to serve with the cheesecake.
7. Put the cheesecake in the centre of the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is lightly brown and the edges have set. If it looks like it’s browning too much, cover the top with some tin foil for the rest of the cooking time. When the time’s up, take the cake out of the oven and either leave it to cool at room temperature, or, if you like your cheesecake really firm, pop it in the fridge until completely chilled.
8. Just before serving, make the chocolate sauce. Pour the single cream into a small pan and place over a low heat. Cook until it just starts to bubble, then add the chocolate and whisk gently until it has all melted.
9. Serve your gorgeous cheesecake with the bowl of reserved cherries and a jug of warm chocolate sauce on the side so people can drizzle over as much or as little as they like.

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Prune & Armagnac cake

“A twist on a brownie – loaded with boozy prunes. The longer you soak the fruit the better! ”

100 g caster sugar

75 g plain flour

75 g ground almonds

Cocoa powder , for dusting

50 ml Armagnac

Zest of 1 orange

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

A pinch of ground cloves

130 g semi-dried prunes

250 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate

200 g salted butter

5 free-range eggs , seperated

Method

1. Recipe by Will Torrent
   A twist on a brownie – loaded with boozy prunes. The longer you soak the fruit the better!
2. You can do this step well in advance, otherwise, make it the night before. Place the Armagnac in a pan with the zest and spices and bring to the boil. Pop the prunes in a bowl, pour over the spiced Armagnac, cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge.
3. When ready to make the cake, line a 20cm __cake tin and preheat your oven to 180C/gas 4. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally, until melted, then take off the heat.
4. In a spotlessly clean bowl, whip the egg whites with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until it forms hard peaks. Place the yolks and remaining sugar in another bowl and whisk for about 5 minutes, until you can draw a figure of 8 in it and it retains its shape.
5. Pour the chocolate into the whisked yolks and stir to incorporate. Roughly purée the prunes in a food processor, then fold them into the mixture.
6. Combine the flour and ground almonds in a bowl then fold into the chocolate mixture. Carefully fold in the egg whites, in three stages, so you don’t lose any of the air you have whisked into it.
7. Once everything is thoroughly mixed in, pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave the __cake to cool slightly before turning out onto a plate and dusting with cocoa powder. Serve with more hot Armagnac-soaked prunes on the side.

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Retro arctic roll

“This ice-cream __cake is the ultimate is retro desserts. You’ll get sweet and sour, crunch and softness, all in one mouthful. ”

optional:

edible flowers

For the sponge:

3 large free-range eggs

100 g golden caster sugar , plus extra for sprinkling

75 g plain flour

a few knobs of butter , for greasing

1 heaped teaspoon cocoa powder

For the filling:

2 x 500 ml tubs of good-quality ice cream, vanilla and chocolate

300 g good-quality strawberry or raspberry jam

1 Crunchie or Dime bar or a bag of Maltesers , bashed up

To serve:

200 g fresh berries

juice of ½ a lemon

Method

1. In the 60s and 70s, having a frozen dessert you could serve at a moment’s notice was the posh thing to do. The simple but glorious arctic roll started popping up everywhere, from restaurants to school and hospital menus. Eventually it became seen as something a bit naff and tacky, but I think smearing a home-made sponge with quality jam, good ice cream and a little bashed-up honeycomb is easy, fun, and just a bit silly. Roll it up, freeze it for a few hours, and you’ll get sweet and sour, crunch and softness, all in one mouthful. Heaven.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Move the ice cream to the fridge so it starts to soften. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, and whisk until pale, fluffy and at least doubled in size. You can do this with an electric mixer, or by hand if you’ve got the muscle. Once it’s looking good, sift in the flour and slowly fold it through with a spatula. Grease a baking tray (roughly 26 x 36cm) with butter, then line it with greaseproof paper and grease that too. Spoon half your sponge batter on to the tray, blobbing it about in different places, then sift the cocoa powder into the remaining batter and fold it in.
3. Spoon the chocolatey sponge into the gaps on the tray, and use the spoon to drag it through the white sponge in S-shapes and circles until it looks beautiful and marbled. Make sure there are no gaps. Place the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. Grease another large sheet of greaseproof paper with butter and sprinkle over a few good pinches of sugar. Take the sponge out of the oven and confidently flip it over on to the paper. Peel and discard the top piece of paper, then, while the sponge is still warm and flexible, loosely roll it up into a long sausage, including the paper, and leave it to cool for around 20 minutes.
5. Once cooled, gently unroll the sponge and spread over half of the jam. Take big dessert spoons of your soft ice cream and randomly distribute them over the sponge, leaving the last 5 or 6cm at one end free of filling so that it creates a seal when you roll it up. Put whatever you don’t use back in the freezer. Dollop over teaspoons of the remaining jam, then sprinkle your bashed-up chocolate bar all over. Use a spatula to smear everything into a fairly smooth dense layer.
6. Confidently, start rolling the sponge up again, making sure there's no paper inside it. If the filling starts to slip out, just push it back in. Twisting the ends and squeezing it into a long, fairly even ice-cream sausage. Pop it into the freezer for 3 hours, and take it out around 5 to 10 minutes before you want to use it so it thaws enough to slice. Unwrap your arctic roll, take a slice out of each end to expose the frozen insides, and serve with fresh summer fruits tossed in lemon juice and a pinch of sugar, or any edible flowers if you have them.

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Maple syrup and pecan steamed puddings

“These little steamed puddings are a dream to eat and wonderfully simple to make – it's win-win! ”

butter , for greasing

100 g pecan nuts

175 g plain flour , sifted

50 g soft dark brown sugar

75 g vegetable suet

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 large free-range egg

8 tablespoons maple syrup , plus extra for serving

1 vanilla pod , seeds scraped out

150 ml whole milk

cream or custard , to serve

Method

1. Everybody loves steamed pudding and these little ones are absolutely delicious. They’re cooked in individual teacups – you can turn them out quite easily or eat them straight from the cup. Feel free to use different nuts, if you prefer.
2. Heat the oven to 190°C/375ºF/gas 5. Grease 6 small teacups well with butter. Place the pecans in a sandwich bag, tie the bag closed and bash the nuts with a rolling pin. You want to end up with a mixture of chunky and fine bits of pecan. Dust the insides of the teacups with the bashed up nuts, tipping the excess into a large bowl.
3. Empty the leftover pecans from the sandwich bags into the bowl, too, add all remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour a tablespoon of maple syrup into the bottom of each teacup and pour some of the mixture on top – you want your cups to be about three-quarters full.
4. Place the cups in a large, deep roasting tray. Fill the tray, around the cups, with boiling water from the kettle, making sure the water level comes about halfway up the side of the cups. Carefully put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes until the cakes are golden on top and cooked through.
5. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before turning them out. Serve with cream or custard and an extra drizzle of warmed maple syrup.

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Rhubarb tartlets

“For a posh picnic, pack the tart cases, custard and rhubarb separately, and put them together when you’re ready to eat. ”

unsalted butter , for greasing

plain flour , for dusting

375 g sweet shortcrust pastry

2 tablespoons stem ginger

1 orange

300 g rhubarb stems

2 tablespoons golden caster sugar

CUSTARD

290 ml milk

2 large free-range egg yolks

55 g golden caster sugar

20 g cornflour

100 ml double cream

½ teaspoon quality vanilla extract

Method

1. Grease 4 x 12cm loose-bottomed tart tins with butter. Dust a work surface with flour.
2. Roll the pastry out to about 5mm thick. Line each tin with the pastry, easing it into the sides. Prick base of each tart with a fork a couple of times, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
4. Bake the pastry cases for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
5. Finely chop the ginger, finely grate the orange zest and put aside, then cut the rhubarb into 5cm pieces.
6. Place the rhubarb in a frying pan, squeeze over half the orange juice, then add the sugar and ginger. Simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes till softened and syrupy. Let cool, then chill until needed.
7. To make the custard, heat the milk in a pan to just below boiling. Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in a little hot milk, then the cornflour. Mix in the remaining milk.
8. Rinse out milk pan, then return the custard to the pan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. Boil for 1 minute, stirring, to thicken, then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Place damp greaseproof paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin forming and allow to cool.
9. Lightly whip the cream. Once cool, fold in the cream, vanilla extract and reserved orange zest.
10. Spoon custard into each tart case, top with rhubarb and drizzle over some juices.

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My Nan's St. Clement's cake

“This __cake is as sweet and lovely as you’d want it to be. The icing seeps into the sponge to add flavour and the top layer becomes a sherbety, citrusy delight. ”

125 g unsalted butter , softened, plus extra for greasing

225 g golden caster sugar

4 large free-range eggs

1 large orange

200 g ground almonds

100 g self-raising flour

For the lemon icing:

225 g icing sugar

1 lemon

Method

1. This __cake reminds me of my nan, and also of some of the older customers who used to come into my parents’ pub. The old dears would come up to the bar and ask for a half pint of Guinness for themselves and a St Clement’s for the wife, which is a simple orange juice and lemonade combo. It’s named after that nursery rhyme we all grew up singing, which I’ve realized is actually quite a sinister song about owing people money and chopping off heads! But putting that aside, this cake is as sweet and lovely as you’d want it to be. The icing that seeps into the sponge adds flavour, and once the top layer firms up it becomes a sherbety, citrusy delight. If you really smother the cake well, it will help to keep it nice and moist for quite some time. This recipe also makes the sweetest little cupcakes.
2. Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a 20cm loose-bottomed springform cake tin with a knob of butter, then line the base with greaseproof paper. Beat the softened butter with 125g of the caster sugar until it’s light and creamy, then crack in the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next. Finely grate in most of the orange zest, keeping back a few scrapings of the zest in a clingfilm-covered bowl. Fold in the ground almonds and sift in the flour. Mix and gently combine everything, then spoon the cake batter into your prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until risen and lightly golden. To check that the cake is cooked through, poke a skewer or cocktail stick into the centre of the sponge. If it comes out clean, it’s done; if not, cook it for a few more minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes in the tin while you make the orange syrup.
3. Put the remaining 100g of caster sugar into a pan and add the juice of the zested orange. Place the pan on a medium heat for a few minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. While the cake is still hot, poke lots of little holes in the top with a cocktail stick and pour the syrup all over it. Once all the syrup has been absorbed, move the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and grate in most of the lemon zest. Keep back a few gratings, add them to the bowl of reserved orange zest, and cover again with clingfilm. Squeeze the lemon juice over the icing sugar and mix, adding more juice if needed until you get a good drizzling consistency. Keep aside until the cake has completely cooled, then transfer it to a serving plate and pour that lemony icing all over the top, letting it drizzle down the sides. Sprinkle over the reserved
   orange and lemon zest, and serve.

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Chocolate & chestnut yule log

100 g walnuts

1 teaspoon baking powder

5 large free-range eggs

125 g caster sugar

25 g plain flour

25 g quality cocoa powder

3 tablespoons marsala or sweet sherry

160 g dark chocolate (70%)

180 g icing sugar

180 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature)

150 ml double cream

150 ml sweetened chestnut purée

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Line a 26cm x 37cm swiss roll tin with baking paper, making sure it is higher than sides.
2. Blitz the walnuts in a food processor until finely ground, then add the baking powder and a pinch of sea salt.
3. Separate the eggs. Use an electric beater to whisk the egg whites to firm peaks. Gradually beat in half the sugar, till glossy.
4. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and thick. Gently fold in the walnut mixture, flour and cocoa. Using a large metal spoon, fold the egg white mixture into the nut mixture, a little at a time. Spoon into the tin and bake for 25 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the sponge is springy.
5. While still warm, lay a sheet of baking paper over the sponge and flip it out of the tin. Peel off the tin lining and leave to cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the __cake with the marsala and roll from the longest edge, the paper inside. Cover with a damp cloth.
   
   Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Put the icing sugar in a food processor with the butter and blitz to cream. Add the slightly cooled chocolate and pulse till smooth. Place in a bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Whisk the cream until just starting to peak and then gently stir in the chestnut purée.
   
   When the sponge is cool, unroll and spread with the cream, leave a 2cm border around the edge. Re-roll the cake, without the paper but using it as a guide.
6. Spread the chocolate icing on top. Make wood-effect with a fork, then dust with icing sugar.

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Vegan chocolate pots

“With tofu and dairy-free chocolate, these are a tasty vegan twist on regular chocolate mousse ”

200 g dairy-free dark chocolate (at least 75% cocoa solids)

700 g silken tofu

160 g maple syrup

1 lime , zest of

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 large pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 large pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Place a small pan over a medium-low heat, half-fill with boiling water, then place a medium heatproof bowl on top, making sure the base doesn’t touch the surface of the water. Break in the chocolate, then allow to melt, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, line a medium bowl with a clean tea towel. Add the tofu, bunch up the tea towel and squeeze out the excess moisture into the bowl.
3. Add the tofu to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and 1 good pinch of sea salt, then blitz for 1 to 2 minutes, or until smooth.
4. Add the melted chocolate and pulse until silky and combined.
5. Divide the mixture between little bowls (to make it extra special, I like to use a mixture of espresso cups and cute little glasses).
6. Pop in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill, then serve.

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Saffron-poached pears

4 medium pears

10 cardamom pods

320 g caster sugar

½ a vanilla pod

100 mg saffron

1 small stick of cinnamon

Method

1. Peel the pears, leaving the stalk intact. Crush the cardamom pods.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan with 1 litre of water, bring to a simmer and gently poach the pears for about 2 hours or until tender. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight to steep.
3. Before serving, remove the pears and set aside to bring to room temperature.
4. Boil the syrup until reduced to a sticky glaze, about 250ml. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of saffron glaze over the pears, then serve with ice cream or cream.

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Chocolate & caramel tart with hazelnuts

PASTRY

150 g plain flour

40 g cocoa

25 g icing sugar

120 g unsalted butter

1 large free-range egg yolk

FILLING

300 g caster sugar

60 ml runny honey

300 ml double cream

45 g unsalted butter

NUT BRITTLE

50 g blanched hazelnuts

100 g caster sugar

SPUN SUGAR

100 g caster sugar

1/2 tablespoon glucose syrup

Method

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour, cocoa and icing sugar into a bowl. Rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and stir in a pinch of sea salt.
2. Stir in the egg yolk and 45ml water, then bring together into a dough, add more flour if necessary. Wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
4. Line a 25cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, pressing into the sides. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice. Set on a baking sheet and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
   
   Transfer the tin to the oven on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. Roast the nuts for the brittle at the same time, until they are a golden brown. Remove the baking paper and beads or rice. Return the pastry to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the base has cooked through. Set aside.
5. To make the filling, place the sugar and honey into a pan and set over a medium heat. Once the sugar begins to melt, swirl in circular motions to start the caramel until it’s golden. Remove from the heat, whisk in the cream and butter. Place back onto the heat and whisk until the caramel turns golden brown. Remove and pour into the tart case, then set aside.
6. To make the nut brittle, line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the sugar in a pan with the thermometer and set over a medium heat. Have your roasted hazelnuts ready.
7. When the sugar starts to gently bubble at the edges, tilt the pan to ensure the sugar melts evenly. Before long (about 3 minutes) all of it will be melted. When it gets to 150ºC, remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the hazelnuts (do not stir with a spoon). Quickly pour it onto the tray and leave to aside.
8. When the nut brittle is cool, chop or blitz in a processor to small pieces. Sprinkle the pieces of brittle over the top of the finished tart.
9. To decorate with spun sugar, heat the sugar and glucose with 50ml water in the same pan, over a medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt, stir for even texture. Heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until 150ºC, then remove and quickly place into an ice bath to stop the process and set aside.
10. Take two forks and pull the sugar out, twirling the forks to make long strands into nests. Alternatively, place a piece of baking paper on your countertop. While holding a long metal spoon with one hand over the paper, pull the sugar from the pan and quickly flick it back and forth over the long spoon, allowing the sugar to form long thin strands, which you can gather. Use these to decorate the top of the tart.
11. Delicious served with crème fraîche or yoghurt.

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Key lime pie

4 large free-range egg yolks

400 ml condensed milk

5 limes

200 ml double cream

CRUST

135 g unsalted butter

12 digestive biscuits

45 g caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC/gas 3. Lightly grease a 22cm metal or glass pie dish with a little of the butter.
2. For the pie crust, blend the biscuits, sugar and remaining butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Transfer to the pie dish and spread over the bottom and up the sides, firmly pressing down.
4. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and place the dish on a wire rack to cool.
5. For the filling, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the condensed milk until smooth.
6. Mix in 6 tablespoons of lime juice, then pour the filling into the pie crust and level over with the back of a spoon.
7. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool.
8. Once cooled, refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
9. To serve, whip the cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Add dollops of cream to the top of the pie, and grate over some lime zest, for extra zing if you like.

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Roasted grapes with cheese

“The sweet-sourness of the roasted grapes in this dead-easy dish complement the beautiful cheeses perfectly. Teamed with crispy sage, crunchy walnuts and hunks of fresh bread, this is an outright winner, every time. ”

1 kg black grapes , on the vine

a few sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tablespoon golden caster sugar

extra virgin olive oil

1 splash of red wine vinegar

50 g Westcombe Cheddar cheese

75 g crème fraîche

250 g Tunworth cheese (or any good camembert-style cheese)

1 bunch of fresh sage

fresh bread

walnuts

Method

1. When the temperature on your wood-fired oven has reached roughly 220ºC (check with your thermometer) and the smoke and flames have died down, start cooking (or preheat your regular oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.)
   
   Place the grapes in a large roasting tray, pick over the the thyme leaves, sprinkle with the sugar, then drizzle with olive oil and the vinegar.
2. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them and turning when necessary, until the grapes are just starting to catch and burst open.
3. Roughly chop the Cheddar into large chunks. Remove the tray from the oven and spoon over dollops of crème fraîche, scatter over the Cheddar chunks, then tear up the Tunworth and nestle the pieces in and among the grapes.
   
   Pick the sage leaves, then drizzle with oil and scatter over the top. Pop the dish back in the oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt.
4. Serve in the middle of the table with your favourite bread, a bowl of walnuts, and a lovely bottle of red.

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Croquembouche

“This is a little cheffy, but I wanted to show that anyone can make one. I used to find it tricky, but then I found this method. I love it with dulce de leche, but strawberries with cream are fab. Whatever floats your bateau. ”

100 g unsalted butter

1 teaspoon golden caster sugar

200 g plain flour

4 large free-range eggs

1 x 400 in or jar of dulce de leche (condensed milk caramel)

300 g golden granulated sugar

OPTIONAL: CHOCOLATE SAUCE

100 g dark chocolate (70% solids)

300 ml single cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6.
2. Put the butter, sugar and 1 teaspoon of sea salt in a pan with 325ml of water. Bring to the boil.
3. Remove from the heat, add the flour and beat into a paste. Beat in the eggs, one by one, till smooth and combined.
4. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
5. Pipe onto 2 large non-stick baking trays in dollops the size of large walnuts, leaving a gap between them so they can rise. You should get about 40.
6. Wet your finger and gently squash the peak on each so they don’t burn, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
7. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack, then use a small sharp knife to pierce a little hole in each.
8. Wash out the piping bag and nozzle then spoon in the dulce de leche. Pipe the buns with dulce de leche, until just full. It might take a little practice, so don’t worry if you mess up a couple. Persevere, it’s worth it.
9. If making the chocolate sauce, smash up the chocolate and place in a heatproof glass bowl with the cream and a pinch of salt.
10. Place over a pan of gently simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl), and leave until the chocolate is melted and glossy, stirring occasionally.
11. Make a toffee by adding the golden sugar to a shallow heavy-based non-stick pan with 50ml of water.
12. Place over a high heat and leave to bubble for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light brown and syrupy. Don’t stir it, just gently shake the pan occasionally, and be careful – hot sugar can burn very easily, so keep the kids away and don’t be tempted to taste it.
13. Leave the toffee for a few minutes to cool slightly then, using tongs, carefully and lightly dip each bun into the toffee to get just a very thin coating (you don’t want to break your guests’ teeth) and practise sticking them together.
14. Once you’re happy, arrange the buns on a platter so they stick together and build upwards into a pyramid shape. Serve with chocolate sauce, if you like.

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Queen of puddings

25 g butter , plus extra for greasing

285 ml milk

100 g sugar

85 g fresh white breadcrumbs

1 large lemon

2 large free-range eggs

2 tablespoons raspberry jam

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Grease a 20cm pie dish.
2. Place the butter, milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and bring almost to the boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and pour over the hot milk mixture. Allow to soak for 15 minutes.
4. Separate the egg yolks and whites, and lightly beat the yolks.
5. Stir the lemon zest and juice into the soaked bread mixture, then add the beaten egg yolks.
6. Pour into the pie dish and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firmly set.
7. Remove and allow to cool, leaving the oven on.
8. Lightly warm the jam in a pan, then spread it evenly over the pudding.
9. For the meringue topping, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until smooth and glossy.
10. Spread the meringue over the jam and return the pudding to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned on top. Serve the pudding hot, with cream.

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Raspberry burnt cream

1 vanilla pod

150 ml double cream

150 ml single cream

4 large free-range egg yolks

2 tablespoons golden caster sugar , plus extra for sprinkling

100 g raspberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3.
2. Split the vanilla pod lengthways and add to a pan with the creams. Heat over a low heat to just below boiling.
3. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, then add in the hot cream, whisking all the time to make a custard. When combined, strain through a sieve into a jug.
4. Boil a kettle of water. Divide the berries between four small ovenproof ramekins, then fill each with the custard.
5. Place the ramekins in a small roasting tray and carefully pour in hot water until it comes halfway up the sides of the dishes. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, till the tops form a slight crust.
6. Remove from oven, cool, then cover each ramekin with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight.
7. Sprinkle a fine covering of sugar over the custards and carefully use a blowtorch to burn the top. Alternatively, place under a hot grill until the sugar bubbles – watch them carefully.
8. Allow to stand so the burnt sugar hardens, then return to the fridge and chill until needed.

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Baumkuchen

“This __cake may take a little time to make, but it’s not especially difficult, and has a real wow-factor. It’s the number of __cake layers that give it its distinctive pattern – in Germany they cook them on a spit, but we’ve gone for the easier option of a grill. The name means tree or log cake in German, because the inside looks like the grain of wood. ”

220 g unsalted butter (at room temperature) , plus extra for greasing

300 g golden marzipan

100 ml single cream

225 g sugar

10 large free-range eggs

½ tablespoon vanilla extract

1 orange

150 g self-raising flour

100 g cornflour

300 g thin-cut marmalade

200 g dark chocolate (70%)

50 ml spiced run , such as Sailor Jerry

25 g toasted flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high, and grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin.
2. Roughly chop and place the marzipan and a little of the cream in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat using the paddle attachment until you have a thick paste. Gradually add the rest of the cream and continue to beat until you have a pale paste.
3. Add 170g of the butter and beat until completely incorporated. Next add the sugar and beat again until the mixture is pale and creamy.
4. Finally, separate and beat in the egg yolks one at a time (save the whites), then the vanilla extract. Finely grate in the orange zest.
5. Sift the self-raising flour and cornflour into a bowl, mix together, then, using a large metal spoon, gradually fold into the cake batter.
6. Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks, then fold into the batter with the large metal spoon, being careful not to knock out too much of the air.
7. Spoon the marmalade into a small pan and melt over a low heat, add a splash of water if needed to loosen, and keep warm.
8. Now to assemble the cake: using a ladle as your measure, spoon just enough batter into the cake tin to cover the base – you’ll probably need to fill the ladle to about two-thirds.
9. Use a pastry brush to spread the mixture evenly over the base of the tin, so it just covers the surface, then cook under the grill for 4 minutes, or until set and golden all over.
10. Ladle another thin layer of batter on top, and return to the grill. Once golden, brush a thin layer of the softened marmalade over the cake – you want just enough for a thin glaze.
11. Continue layering and grilling, glazing with marmalade every second or third layer, until the batter is used up – you should get 15 to 18 layers.
12. Brush the top of the cake with a good layer of marmalade, then run a knife around the outside of the cake. Leave to cool, then cover with clingfilm and chill for a few hours, or overnight, to set.
13. A couple of hours before you’re ready to serve, break the chocolate into pieces and melt with the remaining 50g butter in a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water. Once completely melted and glossy, stir through the rum, then set it aside for 10 minutes to cool.
14. Remove the cake from the tin and set it on a serving plate. Pour on the chocolate sauce and use a spatula to spread it evenly over the top, letting it drizzle down the sides.
15. Leave it to set slightly, then garnish with the toasted flaked almonds, before leaving it to cool completely. Serve with a big mug of tea or a festive sherry. This cake keeps really well in a tin for up to 2 days (not that it’ll be around that long!).

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Fridge cake

“This is a super-indulgent and rich cake. Serve in small slices with an after-dinner espresso for a decadent treat. ”

300 g amaretti biscuits

150 ml sour cherries

200 g shelled pistachios

50 g desiccated coconut

400 g dark chocolate (70%)

200 g unsalted butter

3 tablespoons golden syrup

cocoa powder

Method

1. Line a 1-litre loaf tin with clingfilm, leaving the clingfilm edges hanging over the sides of the tin.
2. Break up the amaretti in a bowl and add the cherries, pistachios and coconut.
3. In a separate heatproof bowl, break the chocolate into small pieces and cut the butter into chunks. Add the golden syrup and melt in the microwave for 3 minutes, or until molten, giving the mixture a stir halfway through.
4. Stir into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well and spoon into the lined tin, pushing the mixture down as much as you can.
   
   Fold the hanging clingfilm over the __cake to cover, then refrigerate for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until firm.
5. When ready to serve, turn onto a board and dust with cocoa. Slice and serve.

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Chocolate calzone

“Oozing with homemade nutella, this sweet take on the Italian calzone is totally filthy – carve them up on a big board and let everyone help themselves. ”

DOUGH

1 kg tipo 00 flour , plus extra for dusting

1 x 7 g sachet of dried yeast or 5g fresh yeast

1 tablespoon caster sugar

HOMEMADE NUTELLA FILLING

350 g hazelnuts

100 g golden caster sugar

450 g quality dark chocolate (70%)

225 ml double cream

150 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
2. To make the dough, sieve the flour and 1 big pinch of fine sea salt onto a clean work surface, then make a well in the middle.
3. Combine the yeast, sugar and 650ml of tepid water in a jug, leave for a few minutes until it starts to froth, then pour into the well.
4. Using a fork, gradually bring the flour in from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Keep mixing and incorporating the flour until it comes together into a rough dough. With clean, flour-dusted hands, work the rest of the flour into the dough, then knead until it forms a smooth, springy and slightly wet dough.
5. Place into a large flour-dusted bowl, dust with a little more flour, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
6. To make the filling, spread the hazelnuts out on a baking tray, then place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden. Leave to cool completely.
7. Reserving a small handful of the toasted nuts, place the rest into a food processor with the sugar, then blitz to a fairly smooth paste.
8. Snap the chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl, and rest over a pan of simmering water on a medium heat. Stir until melted.
9. Add the cream and 100g of butter, then stir until smooth and combined. Fold in 1 big pinch of sea salt and the hazelnut paste.
10. Knock back the risen dough, then divide into 14 portions. On a flour-dusted surface, roll each portion out into rough 16cm rounds.
11. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of the chocolate mixture onto one side of each pastry round, then fold the pastry over the filling into a half-moon shape, crimping the edges to seal – they should look like Cornish pasties.
12. Melt a small knob of the remaining butter in a large frying pan on a medium-low heat, then add as many calzones as will fit, being careful not to break or pierce them. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning halfway.
13. Roughly chop or bash the reserved toasted nuts.
14. Slice the calzones into wedges or halves, if you like, then serve straightaway with a few toasted hazelnuts scattered on top. If you have any leftover chocolate, melt it and drizzle on top. Repeat with the remaining calzones, serving as you go.

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Dutch baby pancakes with roasted plums

“Also known as German pancakes, these oven-baked delights puff up like sweet Yorkshire puddings. ”

20 g butter

2 large free-range eggs

100 ml single cream

120 ml milk

125 ml plain flour

30 g golden caster sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

ROASTED PLUMS

3 plums

½ orange

2 tablespoons golden caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6 and insert a baking sheet to heat up.
2. Start by roasting the plums. Halve, destone and slice them into wedges, then put them in a baking tin.
3. Squeeze over the orange juice, sprinkle over the sugar and toss until the fruit is coated.
4. Pop the plums in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until soft but still holding their shape. Set aside.
5. Divide the butter between two 15cm iron frying pans, and melt it over a low heat until it turns a nutty brown colour.
6. Meanwhile, make the pancake batter by whisking the eggs, cream, milk and flour in a jug, until completely smooth.
7. Divide the batter between the two frying pans, then place them in the oven on the preheated baking sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
8. Remove from the oven. Combine the sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle on top, then serve with a few roasted plums on top.

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Avocado ice cream

“Avocado is a fruit, and it gives this silky treat a wonderful colour and gorgeous texture, thanks to its fat content. Feel free to add nuts, chocolate or spices. ”

2 vanilla pods

200 g sugar

1 lemon

1 lime

4 ripe avocados

500 ml whole milk

Method

1. Halve the vanilla pods lengthways, scrape out the seeds, then add to a saucepan with the pods. Add the sugar, and the zest and juice from your lemon and lime.
2. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a couple of minutes until all the sugar dissolves.
3. Take off the heat, pour into a bowl and leave to cool. Don’t put your finger in for a taste, though, as it could burn you.
4. Once the syrup is cool, remove the vanilla pods.
5. Peel, destone and scoop the avocado flesh into a liquidiser with the syrup and milk. Blitz to a smooth, light consistency – like a smoothie.
6. If you’ve got an ice-cream maker, put your mixture into it and churn till smooth and frozen. If not, pour it into a large baking dish or deep tray and pop it in the freezer, giving it a whisk every half hour or so until frozen and smooth.
7. You can eat it right away or transfer it to little containers, cover and pop in the freezer for later.

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Ginger & treacle cake with ice cream

500 g plain flour , plus extra for greasing

4 teaspoons ground ginger

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

250 g treacle, golden syrup or light molasses

75 g light brown sugar

125 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing

200 ml milk

1 tablespoon crème fraîche

1 orange

1 tablespoon brandy

2 large free-range eggs

TO SERVE

strawberries

golden rum

icing sugar

vanilla ice cream slab

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
2. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg with 1 teaspoon of sea salt into a bowl.
3. In a saucepan over a low heat, combine the treacle, sugar and butter, then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
   Allow the treacle mixture to cool until lukewarm then stir it into the flour mixture. Add milk and crème fraîche and stir again. Squeeze in the orange juice, then add the brandy, beat and add the eggs, then stir to a smooth batter.
   
   Pour into lightly buttered and floured 24cm square baking tin and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
4. While the __cake is cooling, hull and slice the strawberries, then macerate them in twice as much rum to icing sugar.
5. When the __cake is cool, cut it into 3cm slices, then in half again. Top a piece of cake with a slab of ice cream, another piece of cake, more ice cream, then strawberries.

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Cherry clafoutis

½ tablespoon unsalted butter (at room temperature) , for greasing

1 tablespoon sugar

300 g cherries

icing sugar , for dusting

BATTER

60 g plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

3 large free-range eggs

60 g sugar

300 ml milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
2. Mix all the batter ingredients with a pinch of sea salt in a blender or food processor until totally smooth, then set aside for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, grease a 25cm round baking dish with the softened butter, then sprinkle over the sugar.
4. Dot the cherries (stoned, if you prefer) around the base of the dish, then place in the oven for 5 minutes so the fruit can begin to soften.
5. Remove the dish from the oven and pour over the batter until the cherries are just covered. Return to the oven to bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until puffy and golden.
6. Dust the clafoutis with icing sugar and serve lukewarm.

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Summer Fruit Roulade

4 large free-range egg whites

200 g sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

1 vanilla pod

450 ml double cream

2 teaspoons elderflower cordial

450 g mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants, blackberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas 2-3. Line a Swiss roll tin (about 23 x 30cm) with a large sheet of baking paper.
2. With an electric hand whisk or a free-standing mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until stiff.
3. Add the sugar a little at a time and keep whisking until all of it is combined. Sift in the cornflour and whisk on high for 5 minutes, or until stiff and glossy.
4. Spoon onto the paper-lined tin and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and cooked through – it should be fluffy on the inside. Leave to cool.
5. Meanwhile, halve the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds, then whisk with the cream and the elderflower until soft peaks form. Squish a handful of the berries and swirl them through the mixture.
6. Lay the cooled meringue on a fresh piece of baking paper (remove and discard the old one). Spread with a layer of rippled cream to about three-quarters of the way along, then top with a layer of berries.
7. Carefully roll the meringue, shortest end to shortest end, using the paper to help you. Serve on a board or platter.

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Super indulgent mixed berry filo millefeuille

“Luxuriant cream, crisp pastry, sharp berries – it’s the best flavour combo. Well, it would be rude not to share… ”

100 g butter

75 g shelled pistachios

10 sheets of filo pastry

icing sugar

200 g mixed frozen berries

50 g golden caster sugar

1 splash of dessert wine , optional

1 vanilla pod

150 g mascarpone

150 g fat-free yoghurt

150 ml double cream

1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Roughly chop the pistachios.
3. Lay a sheet of filo on your work surface and brush with a little melted butter. Top with a thin layer of pistachios, then a dusting of icing sugar.
4. Lay another sheet of filo on top and repeat with the butter, pistachios and icing sugar. Repeat this two more times, then finish with a sheet of filo and a brush of butter.
5. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, slice into six rectangles.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 with the remaining filo sheets. Transfer onto the second lined baking sheet and cut into six rectangles. You should now have 12 rectangles.
7. Pop both trays in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
8. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with more icing sugar while the rectangles are hot, then leave to cool.
9. Put the mixed berries and caster sugar in a pan and set it over a medium heat. Stir in the dessert wine (if using) and the remaining butter.
10. Split the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds and set aside. Add the pod to the berries. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until just breaking down.
11. Drain in a sieve over a pan to catch the juices. Set aside to cool, and pop the juice over a medium heat to simmer and thicken to a lovely sauce.
12. In a bowl, whisk together the mascarpone, yoghurt, cream, vanilla seeds, lemon zest and juice, and 25g of icing sugar, until light and fluffy.
13. To assemble your dessert, place one rectangle of filo on a plate, top with a few dollops of mascarpone and a layer of the drained fruit, then top with a filo rectangle.
14. Repeat with a layer of mascarpone and fruit, then finish with the final layer of filo. Do the same with the rest, making four filo stacks.
15. Serve drizzled with the thickened fruit juice and a dusting of icing sugar.

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Ashley's sticky rice mango

400 g sushi rice or Thai sticky rice

1 x 400 ml tin of coconut milk

100 g palm sugar or brown sugar

2 large ripe mangos

Method

1. Soak the rice in cold water and leave overnight.
2. The next day, rinse and drain the rice, repeating until the water runs clear.
3. Place it in a pan, cover with cold water and pop on the lid. Bring to a rolling boil, then simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
4. In another pan, stir the coconut milk, sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt over a medium heat. Bring it to the boil, then take off the heat.
5. Pour half over the rice and leave to absorb for about 2 minutes, or until the rice is soft. Pour the rest into a bowl. Chill both in the fridge.
6. Fold the coconut milk through the rice, then peel, destone and cut the mango into wedges. Serve with the sticky rice.

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Citrus-poached pears

“This is the perfect Valentine's day dessert as it's straightforward to make, but has real wow-factor. ”

1 lemon

1 orange

1 stick of cinnamon (or cloves, allspice, star anise or a combination)

200 g granulated sugar

2 pears

double cream , to serve

Method

1. Place the peeled zest and juice from the lemon and orange into a saucepan, just large enough to hold the pears.
2. Add the cinnamon and sugar, pour in 500ml of water and bring to the boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves.
3. Peel the pears, then once the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat and lower the pears into the syrup.
4. Simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.
5. Serve the pears with double cream and 4 tablespoons of poaching liquid per person.

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Summer pudding

“We’ve spread the bread with a little jam to stop it getting too soggy, but this isn’t traditional. ”

olive oil , for greasing

800 g mixed summer berries, such as raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, blackcurrants and blackberries

150 g sugar

½ an orange

½ teaspoon vanilla paste , optional

7 large slices of white bread

2 tablespoons red berry jam

Method

1. Grease an 850ml pudding basin with oil and line with 2 sheets of clingfilm, letting a little bit overhang.
2. Remove any stalks from the berries. Hull and quarter the strawberries (if using).
3. Place all the berries in a large, heavy-based saucepan with the sugar, orange juice and vanilla paste (if using).
4. Cook over a low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and juices start bleeding from the fruit. Set aside to cool.
5. Remove the crusts from the bread, then spread over the jam.
6. Line the basin with 6 of the slices, jam-side up. Overlap slightly to ensure no gaps, and press the bread against the sides.
7. Spoon the cooled fruit and half its juice into the lined basin, reserving the remaining juice.
8. Cover the pudding with the last slice of bread, jam-side down, then pull over the overhanging clingfilm.
9. Place a saucer that fits inside the basin on top of the pudding, then place a weight, about 2kg, on top of it. Refrigerate overnight to soak up the juices.
10. Strain the leftover juice through a fine sieve into a small pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the juice has reduced into a light syrup. Pour into a jug and keep in the fridge.
11. To serve, open the clingfilm and carefully invert the pudding onto a plate.
12. Drizzle large slices with the syrup and serve with crème fraîche or cream, if you like.

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Chocolate peanut butter meringue stack

275 g butter , at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) , plus extra to serve

275 g light brown sugar

5 large free-range eggs

100 g ground almonds

175 g self-raising flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tesapoon baking powder

150 ml milk

200 g caster sugar

6 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

200 ml double cream

200 g fat-free Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons groundnut oil

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170ºC/gas 3. Grease and line the base of two 23cm springform __cake tins.
2. Break the chocolate into pieces, then melt in the microwave for about 20 seconds and set aside.
3. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a bowl until pale, then beat in one of the eggs.
4. Separate the rest of the eggs, reserving the whites in a clean bowl. Add the yolks to the creamed mixture along with the ground almonds and beat to combine.
5. Mix together the flour, cocoa and baking powder in a bowl, stir in ½ teaspoon of sea salt and fold this into the wet ingredients.
6. Stir in the milk and melted chocolate until thoroughly combined, then divide evenly between the lined tins and set aside while you make the meringue.
7. Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually whisk in the caster sugar until the peaks become stiff.
8. In a separate bowl, combine 6 tablespoons of the meringue with 4 tablespoons of the peanut butter, and ripple this through the __cake batter in the tins.
9. Use the rest of the meringue to top the cakes, spreading it out into an even layer.
10. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes, covering with tin foil after 10 minutes, until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. In a bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the yoghurt.
13. In another bowl, combine the rest of the peanut butter with the groundnut oil.
14. To assemble your stack, spoon half of the cream over one of the cakes, drizzle on most of the peanut butter sauce and top with the second sponge.
15. Finish with the remaining cream and peanut butter sauce, grate over the extra chocolate, and serve.

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Pistachio, yoghurt & elderflower cake

250 g butter , plus extra for greasing

250 g sugar

150 g pistachios , plus extra to decorate

100 g ground almonds

200 g polenta

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

2 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt

3 large free-range eggs

1 lemon

ELDERFLOWER SYRUP

150 ml elderflower cordial

2-3 tablepsoons runny honey

½ a lemon

ELDERFLOWER ICING

200 g Greek-style yoghurt

3 tablespoons icing sugar

2 tablespoons elderflower syrup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm springform __cake tin.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Roughly chop and add the pistachios, then mix in the almonds, polenta, baking powder and yoghurt until well combined.
3. Crack in the eggs, one by one, and mix in. Add the lemon zest and juice, stir to combine and pour the mixture into the __cake tin.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the syrup.
6. Place the cordial and honey in a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
7. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes till thickened. Taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice, if necessary.
8. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the syrup for the icing. Make a few holes in the warm cake with a skewer, then gently pour the remaining syrup over the cake.
9. Leave the cake to cool a little in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
10. For the icing, mix the yoghurt, icing sugar and syrup until smooth.
11. Spread over the cooled cake and top with a handful of chopped pistachios, then serve.

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Chocolate & banoffee whoopie pies

“Everyone’s mad for whoopie pies in the States, and they’re catching on here too. They’re sort of the perfect little sweet sandwich. I’ve gone for a classic combo here but you can be as inventive as you like. ”

2 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder , plus extra for dusting

350 g self-raising flour

175 g sugar

200 ml milk

100 ml nut or rapeseed oil

1 large free-range egg

BANOFFEE FILLING

240 g dulce de leche

3 bananas

icing sugar , for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/gas 3 and line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
2. Combine the cocoa powder with a little warm water to form a paste, then add to a bowl with the remaining whoopie ingredients. Mix into a smooth, slightly stiff batter.
3. Spoon equal-sized blobs, 2cm apart, onto the baking sheets, then place in the hot oven for 8 minutes, or until risen and cooked through.
4. Cool for a couple of minutes on the sheets, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Once the whoopies are cool, spread ½ a teaspoon of dulce de leche on the flat sides.
6. Peel and slice the bananas, then top half the pies with 2 slices of the banana.
7. Sandwich together with the remaining halves, and dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.

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Winter ginger, pear and almond cake

“This flourless upside-down cake, with a base of ginger-poached pears, is spicy, sweet and satisfying. And because this uses ground almonds instead of flour, it’s suitable for gluten-intolerant friends and family members. ”

200 g butter

200 g caster sugar

4 large free-range eggs

220 g ground almonds

CARAMELISED GINGER PEARS

300 g ginger

1 vanilla pod

550 g caster sugar

4 pears

20 g butter

Method

1. For the pears, peel and finely grate the ginger. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds, then place it all into a pan.
2. Add 400g of the sugar and 700ml of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for a few minutes for the flavours to develop.
3. Using a spoon, carefully lower the pears into the hot liquid and simmer for 10 minutes, until tender.
4. Remove the pears from the liquid and set aside to cool.
5. Line the base of a 25cm springform __cake tin with greaseproof paper.
6. Combine the remaining 150g sugar and 100ml of water in a pan and place over a high heat, simmering for about 15 minutes until it turns a dark golden brown.
7. Stir in the butter until you get a caramel, then pour it into the __cake tin.
8. Cut the cooled pears into slices and carefully arrange them in the warm caramel.
9. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
10. For the cake, beat the butter and sugar with a whisk until smooth (an electric one will be best for this).
11. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add the almonds and mix to combine.
12. Pour the cake mixture over the pears and bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
13. Leave to cool in the tin, then remove and carefully flip upside down to serve.

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Surprise pudding

“The surprise here is that this cakey treat is made with beetroot – bet you didn't see that coming! ”

500 g raw beetroots , preferably organic, scrubbed clean

2 thumb-sized pieces fresh ginger , finely chopped

3 large free-range eggs , separated

150 ml honey

170 ml olive oil

2 vanilla pods , seeds from

2 heaped teaspoons baking powder

100 g polenta

1 orange , zest and juice of

1 good pinch salt

1 good pinch allspice

1 good pinch cinnamon

150 g plain flour

200 g crème fraîche

1 wineglass vin santo, Marsala or sherry

2 heaped tablespoons caster sugar

Method

1. When I was little, a gym opened around our way and it had a juice bar where they served this amazing carrot __cake with a twangy sour cream topping. This is one of my efforts at making boring old carrot __cake remotely credible. My mate Peter Begg, the friendly Scotsman, suggested I swap carrot for beetroot, which I did, and the result was marvellous. Thanks Pete!
2. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas 4. Peel your beetroots then coarsely grate them into a bowl. Add the ginger, egg yolks, honey and olive oil in a bowl and add the seeds from 1 vanilla pod. Whisk together, then add the baking powder, polenta, orange zest and juice, salt, allspice, cinnamon and flour. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the beetroot mixture.
3. Get yourself a 25cm cake tin or cheesecake mould. Rub with butter and dust with a little flour to stop the cake sticking. You could also line it with greaseproof paper to be really sure. Pour in the mixture then bake in the preheated oven for around 35 minutes until spongy. Test whether it's ready by poking a cocktail stick into it – if it's clean when it comes out you know the cake's done. Allow to cool.
4. Whisk the crème fraîche with the vin santo, sugar and the seeds from the remaining vanilla pod. Taste and adjust to your liking with a bit more sugar and vin santo. Serve the cake in wedges with a big dollop of the vin santo and vanilla cream.

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Gluten-free Christmas pudding

“It may seem impossible, but gluten-free Christmas pudding is easy and great to make ahead of the day. ”

150 g currants

110 g sour cherries

100 g raisins

50 g chopped dates

1 lime , the grated zest and juice of

½ orange , the grated zest and juice of

50 g mixed peel

75 ml Assam tea , cold (or earl grey if you prefer)

½ tsp mixed spice

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

2 ½ tbsp brandy

170 g soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup

½ large cooking apple , grated

50 g toasted almonds , chopped

25 g rice flour

25 g cornflour

110 g fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

110 g gluten-free suet

2 large free-range eggs , beaten

1 large free-range egg yolk , beaten

butter , for greasing

Method

1. Recipe by Jennifer McLaughlin
2. This recipe either makes one large or two little puddings. If you have problems finding gluten-free suet, you can get it online. You can make this pudding well ahead of time. In fact, 25 November is Stir-Up Sunday, the traditional day to make Christmas puddings.
3. In a large bowl combine the dried fruits, zests and mixed peel, then add the citrus juice, cold tea, spices and brandy, and leave overnight for the flavours to develop.
4. The following day, add the sugar, golden syrup, apple and almonds.
5. In a clean bowl, place the rice flour, cornflour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, suet and a pinch of salt. Add in the beaten eggs until you have a smooth mix, then stir into the fruit.
6. Grease a 1.5-litre pudding basin and pour in the pudding mixture until it’s ⅔ full. Cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper, then with 2 pieces of foil and secure with string.
7. Place an upturned saucer into the base of a deep saucepan. Sit the pudding on top of the saucer, and carefully pour in boiling water to come halfway up the pudding dish. Put the lid on and steam for 8 hours, topping up with water as needed – always keep it halfway up the basin.
8. Once steamed, remove the pudding from the pan, carefully turn it upside down and lift off the basin. Decorate as you like and serve with brandy cream, custard or ice cream.

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Vegan chocolate, cherry & honeycomb parfait

“Being a vegan doesn’t mean you can’t create knockout puddings. This dark chocolate, honeycomb, almond and berry dessert is even better than it sounds ”

200 g dark dairy-free chocolate

85 g blanched almonds

150 g dairy-free margarine

85 g glacé cherries

100 g dried cranberries

For the honeycomb:

5 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Recipe by Pippa Kendrick
2. 1. Begin by making the honeycomb. Generously grease a baking tray with vegetable oil. Melt the granulated sugar and golden syrup in a high-sided saucepan over a low heat. Once melted, turn up the heat a little and bubble the syrup until it turns to a rich, caramel gold colour.
   
   2. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. The syrup will foam up – immediately pour it onto your greased baking tray. Set the tray aside and leave it to cool for 20 minutes. Slide the honeycomb off the tray and roughly chop it up.
3. 3. Line a 450g loaf tin with enough cling film to allow it to drape over the sides by about 7–8cm, smoothing the cling film into the tin to form a crease-free surface. Break up the dark chocolate and roughly chop the almonds. Place the chocolate and margarine in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stir together until melted and combined to a smooth and glossy finish.
4. 4. Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the chopped honeycomb, almonds, cherries and cranberries. Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and level the top. Fold the overhanging cling film loosely over the parfait then freeze for 1 hour.
5. 5. Remove from the freezer and transfer the parfait to the fridge until completely set. Once you’re ready to serve, carefully lift the parfait from the tin, unwrap the cling film and cut into 2cm slices.

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Vegan chocolate tart with rhubarb

“You won’t miss the dairy in this rich, decadent tart, which is beautifully offset by tangy rhubarb. ”

150 ml soya milk

4 cardamom pods

4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cornflour

250 g dark vegan chocolate (70%)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PASTRY

250 g plain flour

125 g icing sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

125 g soya margarine (cold) , plus extra for greasing

RHUBARB

400 g rhubarb

25 - 4 g sugar

1 splash of ginger cordial

1 orange

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Lightly grease a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
2. To make the pastry, sift the flour, icing sugar and ginger into a large bowl. Roughly chop and add the margarine and, working quickly, rub into the dry ingredients. Add enough cold water so you can bring the mixture together into a ball. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Once chilled, roll the pastry to ½cm thick and line the tin. Trim any excess and prick all over with a fork. Return to the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Bake the pastry blind for 15 minutes. Remove the weight and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
5. For the filling, place the soya milk in a small pan with 200ml water, crush and add the cardamom pods, and the sugar, then warm over a low heat.
6. Put the cornflour in a small bowl with a few tablespoons of the warm soya mixture and stir till smooth, then return to the pan, stirring to combine, and bring back to the boil. Remove the cardamom pods.
7. Snap the chocolate into a bowl and pour over the hot soya. Stir to combine. Add the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt, pour into the case, chill for 5 to 6 hours.
8. To cook the rhubarb, cut into 5cm pieces and place in an ovenproof dish with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sharp the rhubarb is. Add the cordial, orange zest and juice, and cover with a cartouche (greaseproof-paper disc).
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until soft but holding its shape. Leave to cool. Serve thin slices of the tart with the rhubarb.

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Stuffed fruit crumble

3 cardamom pods

½ a vanilla pod

75 g caster sugar

70 g desiccated coconut

1 large free-range egg white

1 orange

4 large plums or any soft stone fruit

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
2. Bash the cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar, remove the seeds and discard the pods. Grind the seeds to a powder, then place into a bowl.
3. Split the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds and add to the bowl. Mix in the sugar, coconut, egg white, all the orange zest and half the juice.
4. Halve, destone and place the plums cut-side up on a baking tray.
5. Pile the coconut mixture into the holes.
6. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, till the crumble is golden and the fruit is soft. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

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Chocolate Guinness Cake

“With a heady mix of Guinness and chocolate, this __cake is a grown-up treat. Rich and dark, the velvety bitterness of the Guinness brings out the flavour of the chocolate, so it packs a punch, while lending the sponge a subtle tang. The richness is balanced by the sweetness of the sour cream icing, which makes the __cake look like the famous Irish stout – black with a creamy head. Cheers! ”

100 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing

75 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

200 ml Guiness , plus extra for the icing

200 g plain flour

20 g cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large free-range eggs

200 g golden caster sugar

SOUR CREAM ICING

3 tablespoons sour cream

200 g icing sugar

Method

1. Cube the butter and chop the chocolate, then place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Allow to melt.
2. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
3. Stir in the Guinness – don’t worry if it seizes or splits, it’ll come back together when mixed with the other ingredients.
4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease a 23cm cake tin with butter.
5. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for about 3 minutes with an electric mixer until fluffy.
6. Beat half the chocolate mixture into the eggs until combined. Add half the flour, then combine again.
7. Repeat with the remaining flour and chocolate.
8. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. If the top is colouring too much after 30 minutes, cover it with tin foil.
9. Take the cake out of the oven, cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
10. For the icing, beat together the sour cream and icing sugar until smooth, then stir in 2 tablespoons of Guinness. If it becomes too loose, add more icing sugar.
11. Spread over the cooled cake and serve.

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Pina colada fro-yo

250 g Greek-style coconut yoghurt

500 g frozen chopped tropical fruit, such as pineapple, mango, banana

75 g dried tropical fruit

4-6 ice cream scones

Method

1. Add the yoghurt and frozen fruit to a food processor and blitz until smooth, then finely chop and fold through most of the dried fruit, saving some to serve.
2. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a large star-shaped nozzle, then freeze for about 30 minutes, or until frozen but still soft.
3. Pipe the fruity fro-yo into your ice cream cones and scatter over the reserved dried fruit.

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Pomegranate & clementine sorbet

“A winter sorbet to refresh your palate in between rich Christmas food. ”

50 g granulated sugar

5 clementines

1 lemon

500 ml fresh pomegranate juice

Method

1. Place a pan over a low heat, and add the sugar and 100ml water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour into a jug.
2. Squeeze in the clementine and lemon juice into the jug, then add the pomegranate juice and chill in the fridge. When cold, pour into a shallow container and place in the freezer.
3. When ice crystals have formed around the edges, whisk it and return to the freezer. Repeat 4 times until you have a smooth sorbet. Or, freeze the mixture until solid, then blitz in a food processor and return to the freezer until ready to serve.

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Roasted banana & cinnamon ice cream

“Somewhere between frozen yoghurt and ice cream, this is easy to make and oh-so hard to resist. ”

5 ripe bananas

2 oranges

4 tablespoons runny honey

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

300 ml milk

250 g fat-free natural yoghurt

dark chocolate (70%)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3.
2. Peel the bananas and lay them in a snug-fitting heatproof dish. Finely grate the orange zest and put aside, then halve and squeeze over the juice of 1½ oranges.
3. Drizzle with the honey and sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, then roast in the oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden and soft, then set aside to cool.
4. Place the bananas and their syrup in a blender, then blitz with the milk and yoghurt.
5. Add in a handful of the zest, the juice of the remaining orange half, a pinch of sea salt and the rest of the cinnamon, then churn in an ice-cream machine. If you don’t have one, freeze the mixture in a suitable container for about 3 hours; every hour, take it out, whip with a whisk, then return to the freezer.
6. Serve in bowls with a scattering of orange zest and a fine grating of dark chocolate.

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Strawberry & cream sandwich sponge

“This classic __cake is, of course, named after Queen Victoria, the only monarch to reign longer than the current Queen. It’s relatively easy to make but does have a few quirks: you need to get as much air into it as possible, and be mindful of its sensitivity to variations in heat. Know your oven well and invest in an oven thermometer! ”

225 g unsalted butter (at room temperature) , plus extra for greasing

225 g white caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large free-range eggs

225 g self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 splash of milk

FILLING

200 ml double cream

1 vanilla pod

1½ tablespoon of icing sugar , plus extra for dusting

250 g fresh strawberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Grease and line the bases of 2 round 20cm sandwich tins.
2. Cube up the butter, then cream together with the sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Beat the eggs, then gradually mix into the creamed butter and sugar. Sift, then fold in the flour, baking powder and ¼ of a teaspoon of sea salt with a large metal spoon until just incorporated (don’t overmix).
4. Stir in 1 splash of milk to loosen the batter, then evenly divide it between the 2 __cake tins.
5. Bake the cakes in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. To test, insert a skewer into the middle of a cake; it’s ready when the skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Once completely cool, pour the cream into a large bowl, scrape in the vanilla seeds and whisk until you have soft peaks.
7. Sift in icing sugar and gently fold through. Place one of the cakes on your chosen plate or cake stand and spread over the vanilla cream, but not right to the edges or it will spill later.
8. Hull and roughly slice the strawberries, then scatter on top of the second cake. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with extra strawberries, if you like.

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Ultimate chocolate & raspberry tart

200 g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

25 g cocoa powder

25 g icing sugar

175 g cold butter

1 large free-range egg yolk

1 tesapoon vanilla extract

250 g fresh raspberries

CHOCOLATE FILLING

500 ml double cream

75 g golden caster sugar

300 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

2 large free-range eggs

Method

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour, cocoa powder and icing sugar into the bowl of a food processor.
2. Cube and add the butter and a pinch of sea salt, then pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of cold water and pulse again, until the dough comes together.
4. Tip out onto a floured surface and bring it together with your hands. Wrap it in clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6, and insert a baking tray to warm up.
6. On a flour-dusted surface, roll out the pastry into a 25cm circle to the thickness of a pound coin.
7. Using your rolling pin, lift the pastry and drape it over a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Ease it into place, pushing the pastry right into the corners.
8. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the tin to cut off any overhang, prick the base all over with a fork, and return to the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
9. Take the tin out of the fridge and line it with greaseproof paper, then fill with baking beans or rice.
10. Bake it in the oven on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and return it to the oven for 5 minutes, until golden. Set aside to cool.
11. Meanwhile, make the filling. Pop the cream and caster sugar in a pan, place it over a medium heat and bring it to the boil.
12. Break the chocolate into a bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until all the chocolate has melted.
13. Beat the eggs, then stir them into the mixture.
14. Scatter the raspberries into the cooled tart case, then pour over the chocolate filling.
15. Return to the oven for 20 minutes, or until the filling is almost set but still has a little wobble in the centre.
16. Leave on a cooling rack to cool completely, then ease the tart out of its tin, slice and serve.

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Earl grey-infused ice cream

250 ml whole milk

125 g sugar

500 ml double cream

2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves

5 large free-range egg yolks

4 shortbread biscuits

Method

1. Put the milk, sugar and cream in a large pan over a low-medium heat, then stir continuously for 10 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is steaming.
2. Stir in the tea leaves, then remove from the heat and cover. Leave the tea to infuse for 10 minutes.
3. Carefully pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, squeezing the loose tea really well to extract all the flavour. Discard the leaves and set the liquid aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Slowly add the milk mixture, whisking continuously (so it doesn’t split) until combined.
5. Return to the pan and stir over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of the spoon, like custard.
6. Place in an ice-cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until chilled and starting to solidify.
7. Transfer the ice cream to a container and put in the freezer until completely frozen.
8. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly, then serve topped with crumbled shortbread.

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Rhubarb sorbet with pistachio brittle

“Sweet yet tart rhubarb sorbet with salty, crunchy brittle – flavours and textures that go mad in your mouth. ”

800 g rhubarb

400 g caster sugar

1 lime

PISTACHIO BRITTLE

vegetable oil , for greasing

½ teaspoon matcha powder (see tip)

100 g shelled pistachios

Method

1. Trim and chop the rhubarb, then place in a large pan with 175g of the caster sugar and 100ml of water, and cover with a lid.
2. Bring to the boil, then remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes, until the rhubarb is cooked. Set aside to cool.
3. Spoon into a blender and blitz to a purée. Squeeze in the juice of half the lime. Taste and add more sugar and lime if needed (it should have a subtle, not overpowering, flavour).
4. Churn in an ice cream maker for about 20 minutes, or until smooth and set. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, put the mixture in a tub and place in the freezer. Every hour give it a good stir. Repeat until your sorbet is frozen to the right consistency. Transfer to a nice dish and store in the freezer.
5. To make the brittle, use vegetable oil to lightly grease a tray lined with baking paper.
6. Mix the matcha powder with a little hot water, then top it up to 75ml. Pour into a small pan with the remaining caster sugar, and place on a medium-high heat.
7. Bring it to the boil, but don’t stir – just gently swirl it. Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it turns a deep brownish-green colour (or the temperature reaches 150ºC on a sugar thermometer, the ’hard crack’ stage), then pour into the greased baking tray.
8. Roughly chop and scatter on the pistachios and 1 teaspoon of sea salt, then leave to cool. Once set, break into pieces.
9. To serve, let the sorbet stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then scoop into bowls and sprinkle with shards of the brittle.

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Coles

Haloumi and spiced lentil veggie salad

Chorizo and crisp smashed potato salad

Roasted pork belly with crunchy Asian salad

Warm paneer and lentil salad with chutney dressing

Brown rice, bean & egg salad

Freekeh and roast cauliflower salad

Five-spice beef with garlic and herb croutons

Creamy potato and snow pea salad

Toffee apples with dark chocolate

Gingerbread skeletons

Frozen banana ghosts

Pumpkin rolls

Chocolate tarts with spider webs

Ghost cupcakes

Orange jelly jack o' lanterns

Bocconcini 'eyeball' tarts with olive 'bugs'

Mixed berry custard tarts

Cheat's mille-feuille

Buttermilk tart with lemon and berries

Cookie tarts with chocolate sauce

Choc-peppermint slice

10-minute apple berry crumble

Doughnut s'mores

Strawberry frozen yoghurt wafers

Honey and ginger chicken wings

Pea and ham croquettes with fiery aioli

Salsa-topped Yorkshire puddings

Mini chilli pretzels

Surf & turf seafood skewers

Broad bean and prosciutto bruschetta

Middle Eastern beef sausage rolls

Spiced haloumi with honey and lime

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