CHRISTMAS ON MY MIND

Ring in the season’s festivities with these delightful desserts...

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Apple trifle

For apple compote:

* 1 kg apples

* 1 vanilla pod

* 3 tbsp sugar

* 125 g flour

* ½ tsp baking soda

* Pinch of salt

* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

* 1 tsp mixed spice

* 75 g softened butter

* 100 g castor sugar

* 1 egg

For hazelnut-oat crunch:

* 50 g butter

* 40 g castor sugar

* 25g rolled oats

* 50 g breadcrumbs

* 50g chopped hazelnuts

For other layers:

* 150 ml cold custard

* 200 ml whipped cream

For the compote, peel, core and chop apples. Place in a pan with vanilla, sugar and 100 ml water, and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then leave to cool. Remove the vanilla pod.

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 170°C. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and spice in a bowl, and set aside. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then add egg and keep beating. Fold in the dry ingredients, followed by 150 g of compote.

Once combined, pour the mixture into a cake pan and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool. To make the hazelnut-oat crunch, melt butter in a frying pan, then add sugar, and stir until melted. Add oats and breadcrumbs and fry until crisp. Throw in the nuts and fry. Leave to cool.

To assemble the trifle, put a layer of the remaining apple compote in a trifle bowl, then add a cake layer. Put in some more apple, followed by the crunch, then apple again. Add a layer of custard, then crunch, apple and cake. Repeat. Spread whipped cream on top. Leave to set in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Vegan peanut butter cheesecake

For the crust:

* ½ cup raw pecans