This delicious, no cook, pressed fruit and nut bar contains a nutritious selection of ingredients including dates, seeds, oats, nuts, and dark chocolate. It is high in protein and fibre and does not contain added sugar. It would be delicious served with coffee and, perfect for taking along on a cold winter walk.

This is one of our go to brownie recipes. I photographed this recipe for Doves Farm but have since adapted the recipe slightly. Just to make it quicker to make and a little less rich. I like the chewy, boozy prunes and the combination of macadamia and pecan nuts together with dark, dark chocolate. Just a note - soak the prunes if you can in any alcoholic beverage. Brandy, grappa, kirsch all work. I have also made this recipe with plain and self raising flour. Both work.

Panpepato is also known as peppered bread. Based on a very old Italian recipe it is predecessor of Tuscan Panforte. It is not really a bread at all. The ingredients: a mix of nuts, home made candied peel, Muscat raisins, bitter cocoa powder and spices, including pepper and coriander, are bound together with acacia honey and shaped with wet hands. I am not sure how many takers I would get if I served this but I love the bitter notes of chocolate, the crunch of nuts and a little sweetness from the honey. My recipe is from Antonio and Priscilla Carluccio’s ‘Baking’. It’s a gem.