Sugar and spice

Cooking apples

SERVES 8-10 PREP 20 mins plus cooling and 1 hr macerating COOK 45 mins EASY 200g butter, softened, plus extrafor the tin200g golden caster sugar4 eggs200g self-raising flour1 tsp baking powder2 tbsp m

SERVES 18-20 PREP 2 hrs plus cooling, 2 hrs 45 mins chilling and 2 hrs setting COOK 45 mins MORE EFFORT V 325g unsalted butter, softened,plus extra for the tin300g dark chocolate chips orchopped dark

SERVES 12 Topped with a chocolate butterscotch sauce, this makes a great alternative to traditional Christmas pudding. YOU WILL NEED 375g Medjool dates, pitted,roughly chopped5 balls stem ginger in sy

IN LIEU OF A TRADITIONAL DESSERT, TRY ONE OF HELEN’S FESTIVE ALTERNATIVES

MAKES 16-20 pieces PREP 20 mins plus 3 hrs chilling COOK 8 mins EASY 50g butter, plus extra for the tin400g blonde white chocolate (or use500g regular white chocolate),broken into pieces100g white cho