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This last week has been one of madness, as we are leading up to the WEDDING! I am getting married. In three days

I honestly hope that you’re enjoying the season, that your gifts are wrapped, your tree is up, you’ve watched at least a couple of Christmas movies and you’re getting ready for a long weekend of relaxing, eating and drinking. Here’s hoping that I’ve managed to give you some Christmas baking inspo, or that maybe you’ve even made one of my recipes for your own celebrations. A chocolate ganache drizzle makes it oh-so-shiny, and I topped it with everything red I could find – pomegranate, raspberries and rose petals. We had a lot of fun setting this Christmas scene and transforming the cake from it’s naked form to this elaborate, festive dessert, perfect for a wintery, white (I’m dreaming here) Christmas.

I still have no clue what a twinkie is, and am yet to sit in front of a campfire with a pile of graham crackers, Hershey’s chocolate and marshmallows and make proper s’mores. My s’mores bars are decadent and rich, with a buttery base and a melt-in-your-mouth, drool-worthy, baked chocolate filling. To make the filling, melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Meanwhile, whip the eggs and brown sugar together using a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment for about 5 minutes, until light and creamy.

It’s honestly my favourite at this time of year, with all the moody tones, twinkling lights, icing sugar dusting, Christmas cookies and beautifully wrapped gifts. Along with the Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake Tart I posted last week, it’s one of the desserts I bake all the time in my real life. The base is crisp and buttery, the filling is like a soufflé and completely melts in your mouth, and the poaches pears pair so beautifully with chocolate for a cool, refreshing bite. Remove the pot from the heat, discard the baking paper disc, and allow the pears to cool in the syrup.