A good sticky toffee pudding should be more than simple sugar hit – add nuts, for texture, and cloves, for a hint of spice, and this is one transatlantic migrant which will have no problem getting its visa renewed.

Now comes the fun bit – repeatedly throw the dough from shoulder height on to the worksurface for 15 minutes until it becomes elastic and loses its stickiness. Wrap it in clingfilm and leave it at room temperature for half an hour while you make the filling.

Treacle tart appears to be something of a misnomer until you realise that the word treacle refers to all forms of syrups made during sugar refining, from golden syrup through to black molasses. Although it is generally filed under "Nursery Puddings", the recipe is more of an exercise in frugality.

Brandy butter has been around since the 1700s. This "hard sauce" is aptly named, the butter and sugar only softening when they meet the hot Christmas pudding. You either like the gritty texture of brandy butter or not. Those of us who cannot imagine Christmas without it will be beating up our butter and sugar with (or without) ground almonds, rum, nutmeg and orange zest.

Few cold weather puddings are as capable of warming us through to our marrow as a steamed treacle sponge. Just saying the name makes some of us feel better. The word treacle is really a misnomer, and traditional recipes use golden syrup rather than black treacle. At its simplest, the mixture is simply a steamed cake mix with syrup at the bottom, though some recipes include a few breadcrumbs in the base or ground almonds in the mixture.

A simple pound cake should be in every baker’s repertoire. Here, a boozy, nutty glaze adds a little flair to this basic comfort dessert.

Should they be bland, milky nursery fare, or heavy with spices and booze, as in days of yore? And does anyone really, honestly hate the skin?

I can't grow enough rhubarb for my own needs, so I carry the slender stalks, as pink as Blackpool rock, back from the farmers' market. Whatever else I do with it, there is always some that is chopped into pieces the length of a wine cork, tipped into a baking tin, sweetened with sugar, honey or maple syrup, then baked till they are soft enough to take the point of a knife. This becomes a template for breakfast or pudding.

A proper pumpkin pie requires a proper cooking pumpkin – if you can't find one, use a butternut squash instead – crisp, flaky pastry, and the light creaminess of evaporated milk. All other flavours are up to you, as long as you remember to give thanks as you tuck in.

I honestly don't make cheesecake often because a full-size cheesecake is uber rich and so large it really needs to be shared with a lot of people.  Plus, between the potential for cracking and for water to seep into the crust of those baked in water baths, I find them a bit high maintenance.  That's why I think these cupcakes are the perfect solution!  Easy to make and even easier to share, you couldn't ask for more.  You start by placing whole Oreos in the bottom of lined cupcake tins to act as the crust for your mini cheesecakes.  The cheesecake mixture consists of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, salt and sour cream - pretty standard cheesecake ingredients.  Before the batter is poured into the cupcake tins, additional chopped Oreos are added to the mix.  The cheesecakes are baked at a fairly low temperature (275 F) for just over 20 minutes until the filling is set.  

No one can resist the classic combination of graham crackers, oozy toasted marshmallows, and melted chocolate, especially when it’s all held together with caramel. These bars are delicious at room temperature, or get them a little melty by putting them on some foil on a hot grill.

The smoky peat flavour of malt whisky is here given a kick by the sharpness of the ginger. No longer the Methodist tea-time cake of yore, so hopefully a slice won't send anyone to hell just yet.

Ice cream is pretty simple to make, but can be tedious and time-consuming. This one is too simple. You won’t believe it’s as good as I’m telling you.

I didn’t believe it either. I read about it over a month before I finally made it … what a waste of time. If you like ice cream, you have to try this. It’s amazing.

Many commercial cheesecakes are huge and overflowing with a host of strange ingredients like peanut butter cups or chocolate chip cookie dough. One piece will ruin your cholesterol for a year. This recipe keeps it real, so the true flavor of the cream cheese comes through, with only a little lemon zest in the mix. If you must doctor it, top it off with a simple strawberry sauce.

Some recipes make caramel seem intimidating by using thermometers and special water tests for doneness, but it really is just a matter of using your eyes to judge. When the sugar and water turn a, well, caramel color, you know it’s ready! Drizzle it over ice cream, poached pears, apple strudel, or pie.