Welcome to this special collection of cocktail-inspired puddings and bakes. All the recipes have been designed to elicit the wow factor and add a touch of glamour to your festive table. Cocktails and desserts are made for each other: both are crafted to have the right amount of sweet, sharp, zesty or creamy flavour. And with a cocktail pudding, you get that bonus kick of booze. It was difficult choosing just 10 puddings and bakes, but with this unique collection, Christmas and New Year will be well and truly covered.

You’ll find crowdpleasers, such as a mulled cider spin on classic trifle, a gin cocktail-inspired twist on lemon tart and a negroni-drizzled pavlova wreath. If you haven’t made stollen before, I urge you to try our whisky mac version – it’s soft and buttery and has just the right kick of ginger and potency to lift it to new heights. For a twist on a Yule log, look out for the white russian roulade, which marries dark yet light chocolate sponge with a luxurious filling.

We’ve included lighter options, too, such as festive kirsch jellies and mini cosmopolitan cheesecakes. No matter which you choose I can guarantee big smiles around the table. Cheers!

JEN BEDLOE, FOOD EDITOR

PS

If you like this special magazine, you may like to subscribe to delicious. See the amazing offer of £75 to spend in Majestic stores on p116 of the main magazine.

ZESTY LITTLE NUMBER Gimlet (gin & lime) custard tart

ROLL UP, ROLL UP! White russian roulade

SCOTCH MIST Whisky mac marzipan stollen

PICK AND MIX Kirsch cherry royale jellies

A LITTLE TASTE Mini cosmopolitan cheesecakes

SUGAR AND SPICE Mulled apple cider trifle

Mini cosmopolitan cheesecakes

MAKES 12. HANDS-ON TIME 45 MIN, PLUS SETTING

MAKE AHEAD

Chill, covered, for up to 24 hours, then decorate with orange zest to serve.

• 150g digestive biscuits

• Finely grated zest 1 lime

• 70g unsalted butter, melted

• 180g full-fat cream cheese

• 100g ricotta

• 150ml double cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 6 tbsp icing sugar

• Finely grated zest

1 small orange and thickly grated zest

2 small oranges

• 2 tbsp orange liqueur (we used Cointreau)

FOR THE COSMO JELLY LAYER

• 3½ sheets fine leaf gelatine (we used Costa)

• 200ml cranberry juice

• Juice 1 lime

• 2½ tbsp orange liqueur (we used Cointreau)

• 2½ tbsp vodka

YOU’LL ALSO NEED…

• Loose-bottomed 12-hole muffin tin (we used the 12 hole loose-based mini sandwich tin from Lakeland, £16.99), bases lined with non-stick baking paper

1 Whizz the biscuits and lime zest to fine crumbs in a food processor. Pour in the melted butter and whizz until combined. (If you don’t have a food processor, put the biscuits in a food bag, seal and bash to fine crumbs using a rolling pin, then transfer to a bowl and mix in the melted butter.)

2 Divide the buttery crumbs evenly among the holes of the muffin tin then, with the back of a spoon, press down and smooth the bases. Put the muffin tin on a large baking sheet and chill in the fridge to firm up the bases while you make the topping.

3 Put the cream cheese, ricotta, double cream, vanilla extract, icing sugar, finely grated orange zest and liqueur in a large mixing bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth and thick. Using a spoon, divide the mixture evenly among the biscuit bases and level the surfaces, leaving a gap of about 0.5cm at the top of each. Cover the tin with cling film and put in the fridge while you make the jelly layer.

4 For the cosmopolitan jelly layer, put the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Pour the cranberry juice, lime juice, orange liqueur and vodka into a small heavy-based pan and heat gently. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine leaves, then add to the warm cosmopolitan mix and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before pouring over the chilled cheesecake layer. Re-cover with cling film and leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight (see Make Ahead).

5 To serve, remove the cheesecakes from the tin and decorate with thickly grated orange zest.