A moist apple cake baked in a tube pan, packed with fresh apples and pecans, then drenched in a warm brown sugar caramel glaze that soaks right into the crumb. An old-fashioned keeper of a cake.
Buche de Marrons au Chocolat, a French chestnut and chocolate log (no-bake variation of buche de Noel) with Calvados, wrapped in whipped cream bark and garnished with candied violets. A show-stopping Christmas dessert.
Lemon and coconut roulade spread with melted chocolate and rolled with whipped cream and fresh berries. A flourless sponge that's lighter than it looks.
Traditional Russian Pascha (Paskha) made with cream cheese, butter, raisins, sultanas, and cherries, drained in muslin for 24 hours. A rich, no-bake Easter dessert.
A simple but tasty almond paste that could be used for toast, cakes and even muffins.
Mango brulee with a custard made from double cream, fromage frais, and egg yolks topped with caramelized demerara sugar. A lighter take on classic creme brulee.
Fruit Cheeses are closely related to jams and jellies but have a firmer texture and are usually served moulded and cut into chunks as an accompaniment to roast or cold meats. Quince really makes the best cheese and is a wonderful rich amber colour. It is a particular speciality of Spain and is traditionally eaten as a sweet snack. This recipe will keep for 2 years and makes a wonderful and unusual gift.
Cherry and almond Christmas cake: maraschino cherries, apricots, ginger, and almonds macerated in amaretto and brandy, baked into a lighter apple-puree batter, then soaked in more amaretto. A boozy, fruit-packed festive cake that keeps for a month.
Mini florentines, lacy caramel cookies studded with hazelnuts, cherries, and candied peel, baked thin and crisp, then coated underneath with dark and white chocolate combed into the classic wavy pattern.
Thin salmon escalopes grilled in barely a minute and served in a frothy champagne and chive cream sauce. An elegant, restaurant-style dish that cooks fast yet looks dinner-party special.
Elizabeth David's Gateau Au Chocolat Et Aux Amandes recipe
Finikia are Greek torpedo-shaped semolina cookies scented with orange and cinnamon, baked golden then dipped in a honey-cinnamon syrup and rolled in sesame or walnuts. Traditional Christmas melomakarona.
Chicken legs slathered in a punchy glaze of dry mustard, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, and brown pickle, then baked until bronzed and sticky. A proper British classic with just 8 ingredients.
Crispy fried banana puffs rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with jam. Just 3 ingredients in the batter: mashed banana, self-rising flour, and lemon juice. An Austrian-style treat ready in minutes.
Crispy fried banana puffs rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with jam. Just 3 ingredients in the batter: mashed banana, self-rising flour, and lemon juice. An Austrian-style treat ready in minutes.