Baking with sweet chestnuts

Get the mixing bowls out for traditional cakes and bakes that will fill your home with warming aromas as they cook

Torta di castagne, cioccolato e nocciole SERVES 6-8 Ingredients 250g cooked chestnuts150ml full-fat milk75g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids),roughly chopped50g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped60g unsal

Expect lots of admiring comments when you round off your celebratory meal with an impressive prep-ahead dessert

■ Serves 4 ■ Prep 30 mins ■ Cook 50 mins 4 large field mushrooms4 tbsp olive oil1 garlic clove, chopped400g spinach leavesflour, for dusting1 tbsp thyme leaves500g block all-butter puff pastry140g sti

Now is the perfect time to prepare for the feasting ahead with these treats bursting with seasonal flavours

They all started out on different paths – from sales offices to science labs – but each of these professional bakers found purpose and joy in baking. Here, they tell Jill Foster why it has become a passion that continues to nourish their souls