Warming winter desserts to soothe the soul from Ginny Grant.

Puddings and desserts are seldom everyday foods for me, but winter weather and cold nights require a degree of comfort. I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth so prefer something that isn’t cloyingly sugary. I also like something that can do double duty as a slice the next day, so a couple of the recipes here meet that criteria – assuming they last that long, which in my household is not guaranteed.

All of these make use of either fresh or dried fruit, as for some reason they seem essential in a pud. They help provide complexity, either as an integral flavouring or as a garnish to cut through the richness. It also allows for a degree of flexibility. For instance, for the shortcake you could use the apricot paste from the chocolate tart in place of apples, or you might consider using the rhubarb compote for a shortcake filling instead.

There is, of course, always a degree of nostalgia to desserts and perhaps it is that sense of hygge, the cosiness of comfort and wellbeing that fills us with contentment.