THE SWEET TREATS

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Ask yourself: do you really all want some figgy pudding? I know many families who are ditching the pricey cannonball in favour of a pud that they actually like, which makes total sense – not least because the leftovers won’t linger balefully to Boxing Day and beyond. A big clementine and date pavlova will be just as festive, especially if you add a few indoor sparklers in lieu of the traditional flaming with brandy. Or bring out a proper steamed treacle sponge, imbued with lots of nostalgic charm.

That said, there’ll definitely be a Christmas pudding on my table this year because I can’t bear to give up on the tradition. It doesn’t have to be huge: buy the smallest one you can get away with. I’ll be thinking of it more as a garnish, alongside a brandy pannacotta or chocolate fondant puddings.

MINCE PIES

Mince pies are a Christmas staple but most supermarkets are selling even the cheapest versions for £1.25 for six, or over 20p each. I costed out my homemade mince pie recipe (see online at telegraph.co.uk/food) and it came to £3.29 for 24 (including fuel costs), less than 14p each and (I promise) so, so much nicer, with no weird food-manufacturer ingredients and no compromises either. If you opt to leave out the generous glug of brandy I’ve included in the mincemeat they work out cheaper still – only 11p each.

My recipe is with homemade mincemeat and pastry, both very easy even for pastryphobes. Not convinced? Use ready-made. A 500g block of shortcrust pastry costs on average £1.40 in the supermarkets and is enough for 24 pies. A 400g jar of mincemeat should just about fill them (put in too much and they’ll boil over anyway). I’ve investigated the brands on sale and the main difference between the premium versions and the cheapo jars is booze – budget brands have none, while the premium ones have about six per cent or roughly 2 tbsp – the exception being Morrisons with a whopping 11 per cent in its Brandy and Gin Mincemeat (£2.25 or 411g).

If you like boozy mincemeat and have a bottle of something kicking around then you’ll save lots by buying the cheaper mincemeat and adding a splash of alcohol – brandy, whisky, Pedro Ximénez and rum all work well. The best value mincemeat? A surprise: Marks & Spencer. Its mincemeat is a hefty 33 per cent vine fruits (sultanas, raisins and currants), low in the kind of industrial ingredients you won’t find in your own cupboard, and at just £1.50 for a 510g jar (less than 30p per 100g) it’s one of the cheapest out there. The total cost of 24 pies