If you like carrot cake, try this gorgeous version using pumpkin with a zingy cream cheese frosting. It may even count as one of your five-a-day.

INGREDIENTS
200g plain flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
200g brown Muscovado sugar
100g granulated sugar
300ml sunflower oil

To save time you can use fresh ricotta — but it is very easy to make your own curd.
Serves 4

Ingredients
For the quince:
2 large quince
1 cinnamon sticks
4 tbsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
For the curd:
600ml pint milk
2tbsp natural yoghurt
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the hazelnuts:
100g hazelnuts
1 tbsp good quality honey

For the vinaigrette:
2 tbsp olive oil

Celebrate new year with these sweet treats. If you flavour them with liqueur, it’s nice to halve the mixture into two bowls to make different types.

Preparation: 50 minutes
Makes 48

INGREDIENTS

200g thick creme fraiche
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
420g dark chocolate, finely chopped (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids)
75g unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

This is perfect for Chanucah tea as it captures the symbolic use of oil as an ingredient as well as being an ideal recipe for an afternoon snack. Olive oil makes dense, moist cakes and goes well with fruity flavours.

Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour
Serves 8

Ingredients
60ml olive oil
225g caster sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

The combination of earthy beetroot, salty feta and sweet dressing in this recipe makes a cleansing salad for your Chanucah table. The combination of purple, golden and candy-striped beetroot adds a wonderful colour contrast. If you cannot get hold of multi-coloured beetroots, the standard beetroot can be used to make a deeply purple salad. Chanucah’s golden olive oil is used in the dressing.

It seems strange to put “baked” and “doughnuts” in the same sentence but believe me, they are good. If you haven’t got time to make the custard filling, they are equally delicious unfilled; or try ready-made alternatives like strawberry jam, chocolate spread or lemon curd.”

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Makes 20

INGREDIENTS

This classic Japanese recipe is traditionally savoury. I have transformed it from a starter into an interesting dessert and teamed it with a salted caramel sauce.

INGREDIENTS

250ml ice-cold sparkling water
½ egg, beaten
100g plain flour plus extra for coating
50g cornflour
½ tsp baking powder
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 pear, cored and sliced

INGREDIENTS

20 chicken wings
100ml olive oil
60ml white balsamic vinegar
Large bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mustard
White pepper and rock salt
1 litre vegetable oil, for frying

METHOD

Wash and pat the wings dry and put in a mixing bowl.

Blend the oil, balsamic, lemon juice, honey and mustard to a sauce-like consistency.

Makes: 20 turmeric and 20 paprika doughnuts

INGREDIENTS

500g flour, approximately
14g fast action yeast
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 egg
25cl warm water
12cl milk
Flavourings: paprika, dried oregano, turmeric and celery seeds
Oil, for deep frying

METHOD

Mix the flour, yeast, oil, egg, water and milk until the dough forms a neat ball. If it feels dry/wet, add a little water/flour.

Make these with your children to encourage them to eat fish.

Preparation: 40 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

500g puff pastry
100g long-grain rice
2 salmon fillets, skinless (approx 280g)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp American mustard
80g cream cheese
100g washed spinach
1 egg, beaten
Plain flour, for rolling
4 black olive slices

Method