Desserts

These gluten-free cookies get loads of rich chocolate flavour from cocoa and melted dark chocolate. 

This festive cheesecake for a crowd has all the flavours of the classic holiday candy and is sweetened almost entirely with white chocolate. If you can get hold of peppermint oil, it will give an even more vibrant mint taste.

There’s no gettting around it—these chubby darlings take time to make. Divide the work between two days, getting a head start with the peanut butter caramel, diplomat cream (stopping before adding the whipped cream) and craquelin. The next day, finish the cream, make the choux puffs and assemble. The reward for the effort is a childhood dream made better. 

Homemade marshmallows are Tara O'Brady's party trick. They’re surprisingly easy, one batch feeds a crowd and they are always met with delight. She took inspiration from the cookie jar for these ones, with cinnamon and buttery-dough notes and a thin dip of dark chocolate. 

The cool shiver of mint added to the chocolate feels practically made for wintertime. It’s like sunshine glinting off a snowbank. These fudgy treats are ideal partners with an espresso as an afternoon pick-me-up or to end the night.