Prep: 20 mins || Cook: 25 mins || Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

20 gm dried porcini mushrooms

80 gm butter, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

300 gm Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced

5-6 sage leaves, coarsely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

400 gm risotto rice

125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine

85 gm (⅓ cup) mascarpone, plus extra to serve (optional)

35 gm (⅓ cup) finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

METHOD

Prep: 10 mins || Cook: 30 mins || Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 vanilla pod

100g golden caster sugar

600g large ripe strawberries

1 x 320g pack of ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry

70ml Pimm's (or similar liqueur of choice)

vanilla ice cream, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 220ºC.

Split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the seeds into a 28cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat, then throw in the pod, Pimm's and add the sugar.

Prep: 15 mins || Cook: 5 mins || Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

300g shortbread biscuits

1/3 cup (35g) almond meal

200g almonds

180g unsalted butter, chopped

1 1/2 cups (180g) pure icing sugar, sifted

300g crunchy almond spread (from health food shops and selected supermarkets)

500g dark (70%) chocolate, chopped

2 1/2 tsp sunflower oil

METHOD

Line a 20 x 30cm lamington pan with baking paper, leaving 3cm overhanging the long edges.

Prep: 15 mins || Cook: 10 mins || Chill time: Min 2 hours || Serves: 8-12

INGREDIENTS

125g each boysenberries & redcurrants

GLAZE

100g dark chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup

150ml pure (thin) cream

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

4 cups (725g) mixed dried fruit (we used a mix of sultanas, peel, cranberries, chopped dates and glace cherries)

400g store-bought madeira or sponge cake, crumbled

100g dark chocolate, melted, cooled

1 tbs cocoa

Prep: 30 mins || Cook: 25 mins || Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

225g snow peas or sugar snap peas

2 Lebanese cucumbers

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more

2 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar plus more for cucumbers

4 spring onions (green shallots)

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

6 tsp. toasted sesame oil, divided

4 Cups cooked short-grain white or brown rice, chilled overnight

2 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) or Sriracha (or to taste)

2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. honey