Alternative Christmas pudding recipes from Nigella Lawson, Ravneet Gill, Philip Khoury and more

Christmas pudding: some love it, many despise it. The best way to please everyone? Avoid serving it, then scoff one for yourself when nobody is watching, of course.

So if you're looking for a decadent and delicious festive alternative to serve over the holidays, browse no further. Here, we have a luxurious raspberry and chocolate cake by domestic goddess Nigella Lawson; Bake Off Junior presenter Ravneet Gill's Chocolate and Hazelnut Caramel Tart; Harrods pastry chef extraordinaire Philip Khoury's vegan Almond and Orange Cake; Lucan van de Watt of The Walmer Castle's gluten-free Mulled Apple and Blackberry Crumble; and Giovann Attard's swoon-worthy vegan Tiramisu from Norma.

So what are you waiting for? Ho, ho... happy feasting.

Nigella Lawson's Winter Wonderland Cake

For those, as Lawson puts it, ‘abominate dried fruit in all its seasonalmanifestations’, the domestic goddess has crafted an indulgent chocolate with raspberries and heaps of snowy meringue.

Nigella Lawson's Winter Wonderland Cake (Ocado)

Ingredients for the cake

• 150g unsalted butter, cut into 5 slices, plus extra for greasing
• 1 x 100g bar Menier Swiss Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, bashed and broken up inside the packet
• 100g soft dark muscovado sugar
• 125g caster sugar
• 1tsp baking powder
• 200g Plain flour
• ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50g Green & Black’s Organic Cocoa
• ½tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs
• 50g soured cream (serve the rest of the tub with the cake, if you like)
• 2tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for the filling

• 150g Ocado Own Range Frozen Raspberries
• 2 large egg whites or 2 x 5g sachets Dr Oetker Free Range Egg White Powder
• 150g golden syrup
• 125g caster sugar
• ½tsp lemon juice
• pinch of fine salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins (preferably not loose-bottomed) with butter and line the bases with circles of baking paper. If you only have loose-bottomed tins, then cut the baking paper circles slightly bigger than the bases so they go up the sides of the tins just a little.
2. Over low heat, start melting the butter in a heavy-based saucepan of 22-23cm diameter. Put the kettle on. Tip the bashed up chocolate pieces into the pan, and when the butter and chocolate are all but completely melted, pour in 250ml freshly boiled water, followed by both sugars, stirring very gently to get rid of any lumps. When you have a smooth liquid, take the pan off the heat and leave the mixture to cool a little.
3. Meanwhile, measure the baking powder, flour, bicarb, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl. Loosely whisk the eggs, soured cream and vanilla extract together in a measuring jug.
4. Tip the dry ingredients into the saucepan, and whisk slowly and carefully until smooth. Then gradually whisk in your jug of wet ingredients until everything’s incorporated and the batter is dark and glossy. 
5. Divide the batter equally between the prepared tins, and bake in the oven for 18-20 mins: the top of the cakes should be set (don’t worry about the cracks) and coming away from the tins at the edges. A cake tester will come out mostly dry but still slightly smudged with chocolate.
6. Leave to cool on a rack for 15 mins or until you can handle the tins without oven gloves. Turn the cakes out, peel off the baking paper and leave until cold. 
7. While you wait, tip the frozen raspberries onto a lipped plate in one layer and leaveto thaw.
8. You can leave the cold cakes, covered, for a couple of hours, if needed, before icing them. But once the cake is filled and iced, it really is at its best served within 1½ hours or so.
9. Now to the icing, which requires a bowl and pan that you can fashion into a double boiler. Put a very little bit of water into the pan and bring to a simmer. Put the egg whites into a wide-ish heatproof bowl that will fit over your pan (if you’re using the egg white powder, make it up first, according to packet instructions). You want the gentle steam from the water to heat the base of the bowl, but no water should touch it, ever! Add the golden syrup, caster sugar, lemon juice and salt and, using an electric hand-held whisk, beat the mixture vigorously for 5 mins: it starts off rather yellowy and very liquid, but when the 5 mins are up, you will have a firm, thick, voluminous and snowy meringue mixture. Lift the bowl immediately off the saucepan and place it on the cool kitchen surface. 
10. Sit one of the sponges, domed side down, on a cake stand or plate – 23cm diameter at most or it will look lost – and spread enough of the icing to give you a layer about 1cm thick. Then top with the thawed raspberries, leaving a pure white ring of icing about 2cm wide all around the edge. 
11. Gently sit the other sponge, domed side uppermost, on top. Ice the top and sides, using a couple of spatulas for ease, swirling the top and smoothing the sides as best you can. 
12. Adorn with Christmas decorations if you wish, and leave for 30 mins or up to 1½ hours before you slice into it. Serve with the extra soured cream, if you like, and joy in your heart. Store leftovers for 1 day in an airtight container in a cool place.

All ingredients and more information available on ocado.com

Ravneet Gill's Chocolate and Hazelnut Caramel Tart

A tart is nothing if not chic, and this luxurious creation by Gill is an instant crowd-pleaser, boasting everything one could ask for from a dessert, from rich chocolate and gooey caramel to the crunch of chunky hazelnut.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Caramel Tart by Ravneet Gill (Mike Tsang)

Equipment

• 20cm (8in) round tart tin, 3.5cm (11/4in) deep, fluted or straight-edged
• sturdy flat baking tray
• rimmed baking tray

Ingredients for the pastry

• 100g plain flour
• 1g/large pinch of Maldon or flaky salt
• 20g cocoa powder
• 40g icing sugar
• 80g cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra (softened) for greasing
• 2 egg yolks
• For the chocolate ganache
• 250ml double cream
• 30g honey
• 3g/ 1/2 tsp Maldon or flaky salt
• 60g milk chocolate (40–55 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 70g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), roughly chopped

Ingredients for the hazelnut topping

• 100g blanched whole hazelnuts
• 100g caster sugar
• 15g/1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 100ml double cream
• pinch of Maldon or flaky salt

Method

1. Line the base of the tart tin with a circle of baking paper and lightly butter the sides of the tin, then put this in the fridge.
2. Make the pastry. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor, mix together the flour, salt, cocoa powder and icing sugar. Add the cold cubed butter and mix to form breadcrumbs, either with your fingertips, the paddle attachment or pulsed in the food processor. Add the egg yolks in one go and mix briefly to form a dough. Tip this onto your work surface and knead briefly to form a homogeneous dough. Press this pastry into the chilled lined tin, using both thumbs to get it nicely around and up the edges and over the base in an even layer. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
3. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas mark 4. Place the sturdyflat baking tray on a shelf/rack in the centre of the oven to preheat.
4. Blind-bake the pastry. Line the pastry case with a sheet of baking paper and fill to the top with baking beans or dried rice/lentils. Put this on the preheated baking tray in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Carefully remove the baking paper and beans, then return to the oven (on the baking tray) for 15–20 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.
5. Make the ganache. In a small saucepan, warm the cream with the honey and salt until steaming. Place all the chopped chocolate into a heatproofbowl. Pour the warmed cream over the chocolate and leave to sit for 30 seconds. Using a whisk, stir the mixture from the very middle, gently and slowly moving it to the outer edges until a smooth ganache forms.
6. Pour the ganache into the tart shell and leave it to set at room temperature, it should take around 3 hours. If it’s a particularly warm day or it needs a bit of a nudge, pop it into the fridge until it firms up.
7. In the meantime, roast the hazelnuts for the topping (this will give a better texture to the tart). Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/170°C/gas mark 31/2. Put the hazelnuts on the rimmed baking tray in a single layer and roast for 13–15 minutes until golden brown, keeping an eye on them. Remove from the oven and set aside.
8. To finish the hazelnut topping, in a saucepan, heat the sugar over a medium heat, gently swirling it in the pan (use a spatula to move it gently if it needs a bit of help distributing the heat if it’s not caramelizing evenly) and keeping an eye on it. Once it’s a golden, rich, deep colour, add the butter and stir well to combine. Stir in the cream and heat gently until a caramel sauce forms. Stir in the roasted whole hazelnuts and the salt.
9. Remove from the heat and let this cool temporarily so it’s not scalding hot to melt the ganache. Once cool enough, tip the hazelnut caramel onto the set ganache in an even layer. Leave this to set for 30 minutes before serving, then serve as it is or with a dollop of crème fraîche.
10. This tart is best eaten on the day it is made. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, but the texture will soften.

Extracted from Baking for Pleasure by Ravneet Gill, available now. £26 (Pavilion)

Philip Khoury's vegan and gluten-free Orange and Almond Cake

After all that eating, sometime the last thing one wants is chocolate, and Khoury's beautiful, zingy take on the classic Italian whole orange cake is light enough to devour even after 12 helpings of roasties. Simply serve with a dairy-free creme fraiche alternative and you're in business.

Orange Almond Cake from A New Way To Bake by Philip Khoury (Matt Russell)

Ingredients

• 40g extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for rubbing
• 1 large whole orange (approx. 250g)
• 160g oat or soy milk
• 180g ground almonds
• 8g/ 2 tsp baking powder
• 2g/ 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 180g caster sugar
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 100g polenta
• Fresh citrus segments to decorate

Method

1. Line the base of a 23 cm (9 in) round sandwich or springform tin (pan) with baking parchment. Rub a fingertip dipped in oil around the sides of the tin.   
2. Wash the orange well, then bring to a simmer in a small saucepan of water over a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the water and leave to cool completely. The cooking will tenderise the skin and remove some of the bitterness from the white pith of the peel. Cut into small pieces.
3. Add the 250g of cooled orange with milk and olive oil to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
4. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir gently with a whisk to disperse all the ingredients.
5. Scrape the blended orange purée into the bowl and mix until everything is well combined. Leave the batter to rest for 1 hour to soften the texture of the polenta.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan (350°F/gas 4). Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 35–40 minutes. You will know when this cake is ready when it has domed slightly across the top and has taken on some light browning.
7. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin set on a wire rack, then run a sharp knife against the edge of the tin to release the sides.
8. Decorate with fresh citrus segments. If topping with fresh fruit, this cake is best eaten on the same day but, without fruit, store the base in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Extracted from a A New Way to Bake by Philip Khoury, available now. £30 (Hardie Grant)

Luaan van der Watt's Mulled Apple & Blackberry Crumble

There a few things more comforting than a steaming hot crumble on a winter's day, and van ver Watt's festive mulled wine version is an excellent Christmassy take on the British classic.

Mulled apple and blackberry crumble Walmer Castle (Walmer Castle)

Ingredients for the crumble

• 30g gluten-free plain flour
• 20g Flora or margarine  
• 10G demerara Sugar
• 5g walnut Pieces
• 5g oats

Ingredients for the filling

• 100g mixed apples, peeled and cored
• 25g fresh blackberries (If you don’t have access to fresh, you can also use frozen)
• 15g red wine      
• Zest of half an Orange
• 5g caster sugar      

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Meanwhile,  cube the margarine and it to the flour, mixing it until it’s a loose rubble/sand texture. Stir in the sugar, oats and walnuts, then set aside to make the mulled wine and filling.
2. Either buy mulled wine spice from your local supermarket, or to make your own Mulled wine mix, combine cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, star anise, and your favourite fruity tea bag, then bring to a boil with the red wine.
3. Peel, core and cut the apples into small chunks, add to a wide pan with the mulled wine. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in theblackberries.
4. Whilst hot, spoon your mixture into your baking dish, top with the crumble mixture and pop in the oven for 12 minutes - or until golden.
5. Serve with hot custard or a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

Luaan van der Watt is head chef of the Walmer Castle, Notting Hill.

Giovann Attard's Vegan Tiramisu

Tiramisu (Victoria Aleksandrova via UnSpalsh)

Cold, light and invigorating, this Italian classic was made to be devoured after a heavy meal, and Attard's entirely plant-based version promises delicious decadence for vegans, vegetarians and carnivores alike. Here the chef provides details on how to make your own savoiardi biscuits, but feel feel free to buy yours.

Ingredients for the vegan savoiardi biscuits, makes around 20

• 200g of flour
• 30g of cornflour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 80g vegetable spread
• 120g caster sugar
• 50ml aquafaba
• 50ml almond milk
• 2g vanilla seeds

Ingredients for the tiramisu cream

• 500ml almond milk
• 50g corn starch
• 75 g brown sugar
• 320 g coconut cream (left to sit in a cold place so it separates from the water)
• 60ml whipped vegan double cream
• 65g almond cream
• 20 vegan savoiardi, or thereabouts
• 250ml espresso coffee, cooled
• 1g vanilla seeds
• Cocoa to taste

Method for the savoiardi biscuits

1. Begin by sifting the flour and cornflour in a bowl together with the baking powder, vanilla and salt.
2. In another bowl mix the vegetable spread with the sugar, then whisk the mixture with an electric mixer until smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk the aquafaba until stiff and incorporate it into the cream.
4. Add half of the dry ingredients into a bowl to the almond milk mix, then fold in the rest. Whisk until well incorporated, then place the batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to rest, while you preheat the oven to 180°C.
5. Once rested, transfer the batter into a piping bag and form the savoiardi by piping a finger's width of batter around 10cm long onto a well greased baking tray.
6. Sprinkle the surface of each biscuit with a little caster sugar, then bake at 180°C for 15 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown. Remove the biscuits from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Method for the tiramisu

1. Begin by preparing the almond milk cream. Add the corn flour and a little almond milk to a saucepan to dissolve the powder and avoid any lumps. Add the rest of the milk, sugar, and vanilla seeds and bring to boil on a medium heat, making sure to stir continuously with a spatula.
2. Once the liquid comes to the boil, cook the cream for 1 minute then turn off the heat, transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film, ensuring it has direct contact with the surface of the cream. Leave to cool completely.Once cooled, pour the almond milk cream, the coconut cream and the whipped vegan cream into a bowl and whisk well for a couple of minutes, until you have a thick, smooth cream.
3. Wet the vegan savoiardi in the cold coffee and place on the bottom of a ceramic tray. Cover with half of the cream and sprinkle the surface with cocoa. Repeat the layers of coffee soaked savoiardi, cream, and cocoa, then place the pan in the refrigerator to rest for at least a couple of hours before serving.