‘Chocolate naturally lends itself to Christmas’, says Paul A Young. So he’s given us a tempting trio of festive recipes to make at home: a gingerbread-spiced truffle, a warming Aztec-inspired chocolate, and one featuring all the flavours that underpin a Christmas pud, without the belly-busting after-effects.

A bit of project cookery for kids, their overgrown counterparts, and anyone who fancies themselves handy with the old DIY. And, if it all goes tits-up, it’s both less dangerous and more delicious to eat your way out of than a more ‘industrial’ undertaking.

Cocktail mastermind Salvatore Calabrese is currently proffering a selection of alarmingly gluggable Christmas Cocktails at his eponymous Mayfair bar. Over a tipple, we persuaded him to part with the recipes so you can show off your shakin’ skills this festive season. 

Easy, tasty. savoury- who doesn’t love a cheese straw at Chrimbo?

When mulled wine-induced ennui sets in, nip over to the dark side and sup on one of these tasty tipples from Tia Maria.

Paul A Young: chocolatier extraordinaire and self-confessed ‘cake-a-holic’. Alright then Paul, give us your stickiest, most intense muffin recipe for festive munching. And, sure enough, with these muscovado-cocoa-nib creations, boy done good…

Nathan Outlaw’s partial to a nice cheesy tart this Christmas.

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients; when you’ve assembled them, making the Christmas pud is easy – and immensely rewarding. Just don’t expect to eat it the same year you make it – it’s better if allowed to mature for a year or more in repeated doses of booze.  

So easy to make, far more delicious than ready-made and hugely satisfying – from the calm, therapeutic effect of making the pastry to wolfing them down while they are still warm. They keep well in an air tight tin – if you can wait that long. 

With winter nights setting in, serious comfort food is required. Time and time again I resort back to this slow cooked Hungarian favourite. Goulash with its warming paprika, meltingly tender beef and satisfying thick sauce is about as good as it gets as the nights grow longer.