christmas not-so-pudding doughnuts.

Don't like Christmas pudding all that much? Me neither. If you're more of a chocoholic when it comes to the festive season (or any time of the year...) then these may answer your Christmas wishes all at once. These baked, chocolatey doughnuts are made from a simple cocoa infused sponge and finished with icing and marzipan. All the chocolate. All the festive. Less of the dried fruit.

homemade peppermint candy cane gin.

I do love a flavoured gin. So when I had some leftover candy canes from Christmas, I thought I'd experiment with some homemade gin myself. This festive favourite is super easy to make, just choose your favourite plain gin, add candy canes and allow it to infuse. This homemade peppermint candy cane gin recipe really is that simple.

apple bakewell tart.

An Autumnal dessert inspired by one my favourite desserts; the Bakewell tart. This recipe takes on almondy frangipane sponge encased in a sweet, buttery pastry. The tart is then topped with sliced apples, drizzled with icing and scattered with extra almonds for good measure.

slow cooker pumpkin sponge cake with pumpkin cream.

An inviting Autumnal dessert for the darker days; this slow cooked pumpkin sponge really brings the best of the season together. Autumn is my favourite, so when I was invited to get creative for the Crock-Pot Crocktober Halloween Challenge, I couldn't wait to conjure up a cosy recipe. Made in the versatile and convenient Crock-Pot, the slow cooking of this pumpkin sponge really infuses the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger spices into this dessert. leaving a moist and buttery texture.

This appliance really is deserving of its place on the kitchen counter. From dinner to dessert, the Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker can get to work steaming, roasting and sautéing whilst you get on with other everyday tasks. Although slow cooking lends itself to the colder months, you really get make anything all year round. Scroll down to see how this creation really is pretty much as easy as simply pressing a button.