Step into christmas

These chewy cookies – a twist on the classic lebkuchen – are packed with fragrant cardamom and nutty brown butter. MAKES around 35-40 PREP 35 mins plus 1 hr chilling and 1 hr drying COOK 25 mins MORE

Ingredients (Makes 12) 200 g plain chocolate50 g unsalted butter225 g light or Genoa-style fruitcake, crumbled2 tsp mixed spice12 plastic lolly sticks50 g white chocolate chips25 g green coloured read

These delightful little gingerbread houses will perch perfectly on the edge of your mug. Try them with hot chocolate or mulled wine for adults. MAKES 8 PREP 30 mins plus cooling COOK 10 mins MORE EFFO

Evoke holidays at the Cornish seaside where this recipe hails. It’s named for the filling of mackerel or sardines (whatever the day’s catch might be) as their heads look skyward through a golden crust

Ingredients (Serves 6) ◆ 1.5 litres dry sparkling cider ◆ 50g light brown sugar zest and juice 1 orange ◆ 3 long cinnamon sticks, halved ◆ 8 cloves ◆ 2.5cm piece ginger, sliced ◆ ½tsp grated nutmeg ◆

MAKES 36 PREP 20 mins plus overnight setting COOK 35 mins MORE EFFORT V 300g green shelled pistachios2 tsp flavourless oil, such assunflower oil1 tbsp cornflour1 tbsp icing sugar2 x 20cm square sheets