Make your Christmas merry with these recipes

Candy cane lollipops

Ingredients

12 peppermint candy canes

200g white chocolate, chopped

edible sprinkles (we used gold pearls from Dr Oetker)

You will need

6 ovenproof lolly sticks

cellophane bags and ribbons (if giving as a gift)

Method

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Arrange the candy canes in pairs on the trays, to make heart shapes. Put a lolly stick between each one, where they meet at the bottom. Put the trays in the oven and cook for 5 mins.

The candy canes should now be soft enough for you to carefully pinch together where they join at the top and the bottom, around the stick. Be careful as the canes will be extremely hot, but work quickly or they will set and you won’t be able to pinch them together.

Melt the chocolate in a pan over a bowl of barely simmering water, or in the microwave. Spoon the melted chocolate into the middle of the heart lollies, pushing it out to fill the spaces. Scatter over your choice of sprinkles, then leave to cool completely. When set, peel off the baking parchment, wrap in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon to give as a gift.

Fruitcake with cheese & apples

Ingredients

2 x 400g rectangular fruitcakes

triangular slices of Lancashire cheese

finely slices pieces of apple

a little lemon juice (if not eating immediately)

Method

Cut the fruitcakes into thin pieces and top each with a slice of Lancashire cheese and a piece of apple, tossed in a little lemon juice if not eating immediately. Can be made up to 1 hr ahead.

Mini Mont Blanc

Ingredients

200g chestnut purée

2 tbsp icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

200ml double cream

dark chocolate, for grating

Method

Mix the chestnut purée with the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Divide between 12 baked tartlet cases. Whip the double cream, spoon onto the tarts, then grate over dark chocolate to finish.