A light, elegant make-ahead starter to ease you into the Christmas Day blow-out, or to kick off a dinner party menu

Bake this festive fruit cake in advance of Christmas and feed it regularly with rum, brandy or whisky to build the flavour and keep it moist

Whet the appetite for the main event by serving guests this special chicken terrine with leeks and apricots. It can be made up to three days ahead

Set aside a couple of hours and enjoy every minute of making this impressive terrine

An easy-to-make alternative to traditional Christmas cakes which requires no beating

Love crinkle cookies? Try our extra-festive version for Christmas, with orange zest, mixed spice and cinnamon – and not forgetting the classic fudgy centre

A perfect match for cheese and cold meats, and delicious in turkey sandwiches

Cross a Christmas pudding with a cheesecake and what do you get? A fantastic alternative festive dessert with a crunchy ginger base and creamy filling

This posh pud is much easier to prepare than it looks and can be made ahead of time

A decadent dinner party pudding or family afternoon treat

Combine a few key Christmas flavours here to make a pie that both children and adults will adore

Substitute eggs for chia seeds in this vegan take on a traditional Christmas cake. The coconut oil adds a great background flavour and keeps the cake moist

Mix up your festive main with this fabulous Christmas dinner Wellington. A make-ahead meal in one, it incorporates stuffing and cranberry sauce, so all you need to think about on the big day is the veg and gravy

Combine the best bits of a Christmas dinner in one moreish bite with these canapés. Ideal for a festive buffet

Try this twist on a favourite childhood ice-cream dessert with coffee and chocolate layers. Made with just five ingredients, it's a great make-ahead pud

A show-stopping layered fish centrepiece with cream cheese and lemon filling, flavoured with dill and chives

Paul Hollywood's fruit rolls can be made ahead then heated up before adding a glossy glaze and citrus icing

A fruity pud, served with orange custard cream, makes the perfect end to the traditional Christmas meal

Switch up your traditional Christmas pudding with this sticky toffee version. It's a great modern twist on the classic festive dessert

Gordon's make-ahead terrine is the perfect starter when you're entertaining a crowd

A homemade Christmas pudding is easy to make, then it just needs time in the steamer to turn it into a glorious, rich, fruity dessert. A festive classic

Cured slow-cooked pork is a great foundation for a coarse pâté style starter and can be made in advance

Mix dried fruit, nuts, cranberries and maple syrup on Stir-up Sunday for this crowd-pleasing Christmas cake that improves as it keeps

A mix of trend and tradition, this is one of the easiest Christmas cakes we've ever created, with a virtually all-in-one method that'll save you some stress

Treat your guests to a Christmas punch. It's a blend of prosecco, sloe gin, Jägermeister and apple juice, together with festive clementine and ginger

A festive treat to give or receive

Use your choice of dried fruit, nuts, citrus zest and booze (or even tea) and get your cake made up to six months in advance

Make this vegan Christmas pudding as part of a festive feast, packed with dried figs, raisins, sultanas and a tot of rum. Serve warm with vegan ice cream

Whether served as a starter or part of a buffet, Barney's smart make-ahead terrine will be sure to impress

Treat yourself at Christmas with these moreish stuffing balls. The sausagemeat and bacon add the ‘pigs in blankets’ flavour, while cranberries make them taste extra festive