Nigella christmas

This tangy, subtly cheesy mash with a crunchy topping has revolutionised my cooking life

Nothing will ever take the place of my Ham in Coca-Cola from Bites — in my heart or on my table — but this slow-baked ham is a revelation of a different sort. The meat is astonishingly tender and carves into thin slices with ease; there is also very little shrinkage, and no wrangling with large joints of meat in boiling liquid. I always like a ham for the holidays — hot, it is spectacular, and it is helpful, after, to have cold ham to bring out alongside cold turkey (and for general sandwich…

A vital part of the Christmas Eve dinner in Norway, these pork ribs have the tenderest meat and the crunchiest crackling imaginable. You have to take a leap of faith when making them, as the idea of letting the rind get so wet in the course of cooking goes against every bit of advice you may have heard thus far about the importance of keeping it dry. This method is an absolute revelation. You need a big old slab of pork belly on the bone for this, which requires a visit to the butcher. And —…

Nigella Lawson's Italian Christmas Cake is made with Tuaca liqueur, eggs, caster sugar, mascarpone cheese, double cream, Marsala wine, marrons glacés, chocolate chips, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds. This delicious Italian Christmas Cake recipe creates a delightful dessert that takes about 12 hours to chilling and 20 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 10 people.

I think it’s hard to improve on this cake: dark, damp, squidgy and luscious. You don’t taste the chocolate full-on – the cocoa just leaves a hint of smoky richness.

"I creep into the kitchen the next morning to check on the cookies, and I feel just like a kid at Christmas."

I’ve got two recipes to tell you about to get you in the mood for celebrating the season.

The author and TV star talks journalism, food photos, and home versus restaurant cooking

This is a sleight of hand, or a trick of equipment rather than an act of brilliance. True, the cake does look incredibly complicated and seasonally impressive as it comes to the table, but that is all down to the shape of the tin. It’s an expense to get a tin that can’t be used all year round, but it really is a beautifully Christmassy creation, and a doddle to make. For the “spruced up” of the cake refers to the Pine Forest bundt tin I bake it in; at other times of the year, I call this…