DIY British beef crostini

Elegant yet full-flavoured, guests will love putting together these bites – make the beef and crème fraîche topping in advance to get ahead

Mulled Port & lemon

If you find mulled wine too heavy, try this refreshing alternative Christmas drink, served in 'frosted' glasses

Brandy syrup cream

This fluffy, boozy whipped cream makes an indulgent topping for festive desserts – perfect with Christmas pudding or mince pies

Hazelnut crunch mince pies

Jazz up your homemade mince pies by adding grated apple and orange zest – try a pretty star shaped lid, finished with a crisp nutty topping

No-fuss fish pie

Get the kids in the kitchen to help make this easy fish pie recipe. They’ll love the creamy filling and crisp topping, and it’s 2 of your 5 a day, too

Nutty Florentine bars

This clever tray bake combines a buttery shortbread base with a Florentine inspired topping – finished with cherries and dark chocolate

Lentil shepherd’s pie with celeriac & butter bean mash

Lighten up a family favourite with this vegetarian shepherd’s pie – mash celeriac and white beans with cream cheese for a low-GI topping

Moroccan-spiced cottage pies

Spice up traditional cottage pie with Middle Eastern flavours and add chickpeas to the mashed topping for a more exotic beef mince recipe

Coconut ice cream with mango & passion fruit

Sweet mango and tangy lime make a great topping for ice cream in this easy, fruity dessert

Turkey salad on rye

Open sandwiches mean you use less bread, but can pile on plenty of topping, in this case Coronation-spiced lean turkey with crisp salad

Gooseberry & elderflower fizz

A lightly floral Prosecco-based cocktail with crushed fresh fruit and refreshing cordial

Smoking chilli chicken & sweetcorn pizza

Ready-made pizza bases make for a speedy midweek Italian feast. Try this alternative topping with chipotle chicken and Mexican flavours