The chocolate-orange combo — half-biscuit, half-cake — can also be made with packet jelly, in which case it’s a good if not essential idea to add a tablespoon of marmalade.
Makes about 20

Ingredients
750 ml orange juice
2 packets kosher gelatine
4 large eggs
100g caster sugar
100g plain flour
Vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
200g dark chocolate

Method

This unusual mousse, topped with crunchy poppy seed crumble, is delicious with an optional dark chocolate ganache.

Ingredients
For the mousse:
4g kosher gelatine powder
30g whole milk
500g whipping cream, in 2 halves
50g caster sugar
3 egg yolks
2½ tbsp tahini
2½ tbsp honey
30g halva crumbled to lumps

Method
Soak the gelatine in the milk for 25 minutes.

Makes: 40

INGREDIENTS
1 egg, beaten
75ml white wine plus a few drops
50g caster sugar
½ tsp baking powder
25ml vegetable oil
300g plain flour (approx)
Icing sugar, to dust

For the marzipan:
300g ground almonds
150g icing sugar
A few drops of almond extract
2 egg whites (you can use pasteurised egg whites for safety)

METHOD

I buy shelled pistachios and grind them in a food processor. Pasteurised egg whites can be found in many supermarkets. Freeze any leftovers in ice-cube trays or small pots.

INGREDIENTS
12 Medjool dates, halved and pitted
12 ready-to-eat dried pitted prunes, halved
300g ground almonds or pistachios
150g icing sugar (per 300g of nuts)
A few drops almond extract
2 pasteurised egg whites

Makes: 12

INGREDIENTS
1 egg
3 tbsp sunflower oil
25g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
150g self raising flour
Sunflower oil to fry
150g runny honey, to glaze

Method

Beat the sugars and egg in a bowl and add the oil.

Add the flour gradually mixing with your hands if possible. The dough must be soft but not sticky.

Preheat the oil in a deep pan.

Safra, also called sefra, is an aromatic semolina dessert from the Jewish community of Tripoli, Libya, and a fun Purim treat. Rome’s cuisine benefited when the Libyan Jews found refuge in Italy in 1967. The honey and orange glazing give a rich flavour and adds a lovely sheen to the almond and sesame seed topping.

Preparation time: 50 minutes
Makes 20 approx

INGREDIENTS
300g semolina

The most important thing with hamantaschen is ensuring you have the time to enjoy making them:

Ideally make the dough and fillings in advance and then assembly is easy.

For the best flavour, make the dough the day before and leave it to rise overnight in the fridge.

If making proper mohn filling, leave time for it to cool properly

This recipe uses a sweet shortcrust pastry dough coated with colourful hundreds and thousands for a festive feel.

Preparation: 30 minutes plus resting time
Cooking: 20 minutes
Makes approximately 20
Ingredients
For the pastry:
285g plain flour
150g unsalted butter or margarine
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp lemon juice
1 egg
75g caster sugar

For the fruit filling:
75g sultanas

My “hamentashing” has resulted in these delicious new fillings. Adding breadcrumbs ensures they stay put. I like to prepare everything the night before and form and bake the next day. It’s necessary to make and freeze the chocolate filling in advance.

Makes 36

Ingredients
For the crust:
340g flour, plus a little extra
1½ tsp baking powder
120ml rapeseed oil
150g sugar

Ingredients
For the pastry:
250g plain flour
125g butter, in small cubes
100ml cold milk
75g caster sugar
Cinnamon

For the filling:
1kg dessert apples
200g chestnut cream
6-8 cooked chestnuts roughly chopped
Cinnamon

METHOD