Gift or Present

To give as a gift, thread ribbon through centre of the shortbread and tie into a ring. Or, you can hang shortbread from your Christmas tree. Note

Incredibly simple as well as zesty and delicious, these tangy lemon squares are a welcome treat when you hit that mid-afternoon slump.

Thrill your family and friends this Christmas by attaching these easy, stunning angel cookies to your presents.

Decorated with silver cachous and ribbon, these little fruit cakes make the loveliest Christmas gift.

A bowl of these divine little frozen raspberry truffles makes for a visually arresting dessert that's as gorgeous to eat as it is to look at.

The combination of sweet toffee with crunchy roasted is brilliant in these fun desserts. Your kids will love sucking on these peanut brittle pops for an after school or weekend treat.

Light, zesty and crumbly, these beautiful shortbread biscuits are beautiful enjoyed with a cup of tea or given as gifts to loved ones.

There's nothing like the flavour of home-made jams and preserves. This strawberry conserve recipe uses lemon pips to help with setting, and lemon juice to add piquancy. Delicious.

What better way to finish off a Christmas feast than with these chocolate, cranberry and Cointreau treats.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a sweet, golden passionfruit butter biscuit with your cup of coffee as a relaxing morning tea.

Rich, fudgey and utterly decadent, the combination of chocolate and coffee flavours makes this mocha fudge irresistible. Serve with a shot of liqueur for a sophisticated dessert.

A tasty addition to a sandwich, burger or snacking plate, make a batch of your own pickled cucumbers and delight your friends and family.

An easy way to make sure your toffee is cooked to the correct stage and will set hard, is to use a sugar thermometer. Toffee should reach 149°C (“hard crack” stage) on the thermometer. Red delicious are the best apples to use for this recipe. Note

Pie can be prepared a day ahead. Note

If you can’t find dried cherries, use the equivalent amount of extra dried cranberries instead. Note

These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! Note

If vanilla bean paste is hard to find, you can use 3 teaspoons vanilla extract instead. Note

Dried lavender is available from gourmet food stores and cake decorating stores. Note

Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Note