Christmas shortbread, ginger biscuits and sticky toffee pudding – sweetened with dates instead of white sugar.

You will need

• 150 g dried pitted dates
• 4 tbsp orange juice
• 100 g soft butter
• 225 g plain flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Put the dates in a small bowl with the orange juice and leave for 10 minutes to soften. Blend to a thick, smooth purée.
2. Beat the butter until creamy, then beat in the date purée and the fresh ginger.
3. Mix the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, bicarbonate of soda, orange zest and salt, and work them into the butter mixture to make a firm dough. If it's crumbly, add 1 more tbsp of orange juice.
4. Wrap the dough and chill it for 30 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking paper. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls (about 24), space them well apart and flatten each one slightly with your palm.
6. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until firm at the edges and cracked on top. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack before they go in the tin.

TipDates brown faster than sugar, so keep an eye on the trays for the last 2 minutes. The biscuits keep for about a week in an airtight tin, and the raw dough freezes for up to 3 months.

You will need

• 225 g dried pitted dates, chopped
• 250 ml boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 75 g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
• 2 eggs
• Seeds from ½ vanilla pod
• 175 g self-raising flour

For the sauce

• 150 g dried pitted dates
• 150 ml boiling water
• 50 g butter
• 150 ml double cream
• A pinch of sea salt

To serve

• 150 ml double cream, whipped
• A pinch of ground cinnamon

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4. Grease a 20 cm square tin and line it with baking paper.
2. Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda (it will foam – that's normal). Leave for 10 minutes, then mash or blend to a rough purée.
3. Beat the butter until soft, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla seeds.
4. Fold in the flour, then the date mixture. The mixture will be quite runny. Pour it into the tin.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30–35 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile, make the sauce: blend the dates with the boiling water to a smooth, thick paste. Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, stir in the date paste, cream and salt, and let it bubble gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until glossy.
7. Prick the warm pudding all over with the skewer, pour over a third of the sauce and leave for 5 minutes. Cut into 8 squares and serve with the rest of the sauce, a spoonful of whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

TipThe date sauce is thicker and darker than one made with muscovado – loosen it with a splash of hot water if you like it runnier. The pudding keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes in squares, without the sauce, for up to 3 months. Warm through before serving.

You will need

• 300 g raisins
• 250 ml pure orange juice (not an orange drink)
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 egg
• 225 g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• Butter, to serve

Method

1. The night before, put the raisins, orange zest and orange juice in a bowl, cover and leave overnight (at least 8 hours). The raisins will soak up most of the juice.
2. Heat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan / gas 3. Grease a 2 lb (900 g) loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
3. Beat the egg and stir it into the fruit, along with any juice that's left.
4. Sift in the flour and mixed spice and mix well until there's no dry flour left.
5. Spoon the mixture into the tin, level the top and bake in the middle of the oven for 55–60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly after 40 minutes, cover it loosely with foil.
6. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

TipIt's best the next day, sliced and spread with butter. Wrapped and stored in a tin, it keeps for 5 days, and it freezes well in slices for up to 3 months.