Out of sheer laziness, this is a no-churn, very quick to assemble take on things. I tend usually not to recommend no-churn ice-creams unless there is booze involved, so this sherry and raisin one is a great candidate (the alcohol stops the ice-cream from becoming too hard and crystallised). And keep the leftover egg whites from the mince pies to make the chestnut and pear meringue, an alternative for the Christmas pudding haters at your table – there is always one. I think it’s important to have at least two puddings at Christmas.

Chestnut and pear meringues (pictured top)

This is a great make-ahead pudding, because the meringues can be made up to a month in advance and the pears and chocolate sauce five days before. Once assembled, you can keep it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Prep 10 min Cool Overnight Cook 1 hr 15 min Serves 8

For the meringues 100g** egg whites (from about 3 eggs) 100g soft light brown sugar 100g caster**** sugar**

For the pears 4 pears** 125g**** light brown soft sugar 2 ****tbsp brandy ½ ****tsp ground ginger 1 cinnamon stick 4 strips of lemon zest 2 **tsp vanilla bean paste

For the chocolate sauce 45g** caster**** sugar 5g**** cocoa**** powder** 100g** chocolate of your choice** (54% cocoa solids or above if you prefer it darker), chopped

To serve 250g double** cream 1 **tsp vanilla bean paste 240g sweetened chestnut purée from a tin (Clément Faugier is my favourite) 50g cooked chestnuts, crumbled Edible gold leaf (optional, but recommended)

Start by making the meringues (you will need to do this at least the day before you want to serve them). Heat the oven to 120C (110C fan)/250F/gas low and line a large oven tray with baking paper.

Whisk the egg whites on high in the bowl of a stand mixer to stiff peaks. Mix the sugars in a second bowl, then, with the mixer running, spoon into the egg whites a dessertspoonful at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once the meringue is nice and glossy, check that the sugar has fully dissolved by rubbing a bit of the meringue between two fingers: if it feels grainy, continue mixing. If not, it’s ready to go.

Spoon the meringue into eight mounds on the lined tray, use the back of the spoon to flatten them a little into rounds, then make a swirl on the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside overnight. You can then store them in an airtight container for up to a month.

Next, poach the pears. Peel and halve each pear, then use a teaspoon to remove the cores and any stringy stems. Put the pears in a saucepan for which you have a lid and that’s large enough so they fit snugly inside. Add water (about 500g) just to cover, then add all the remaining pear ingredients and put the pan on a low heat. Simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the fruit is soft but still holding its shape, then take off the heat and leave to cool in the syrup. The pears can then be decanted into an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to five days.

For the chocolate sauce, mix 100g water, sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Simmer for a few minutes, until the sugar dissolves, then take off the heat and stir in the chocolate until it melts and you have a smooth, glossy sauce. This sauce can now be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

To assemble, bring the chocolate sauce up to room temperature. Whip the cream and vanilla bean paste to soft peaks. Spoon 30g of the chestnut puree over each meringue and spread it out to the edges. Spoon on a tablespoon of the chocolate sauce and let it drip down the sides a little. Dollop a generous tablespoon of whipped cream on top of the chocolate.

Put half a poached pear on top of the cream and press it down gently. Finish with a crumble of cooked chestnuts and a little gold leaf, if using, then store in the fridge for up to three hours before serving.

Sherry and raisin ice-cream

Flora Shedden’s sherry and raisin ice-cream. Photograph: Matthew Hague/The Guardian. Food and prop styling: Florence Blair. Food styling assistant: Emma Cantlay.

Mum made a very decadent version of this last Hogmanay, and it was so perfect I vowed to recreate it. The recipe was taken out of a magazine and I think the cutting was soon lost in the new year, so I have had to improvise. When testing, my dad, a keen rum-and-raisin fan, declared that this was actually very good. Which, if you know my dad, is the highest of praise.

Prep 15 min Soak 2 hr+ Freeze 6 hr+ Makes 2 litres

225g** raisins 150g sherry (I like to use a fino or very dry one), plus extra to serve Finely grated zest of ½ orange ½ nutmeg, finely grated 600g double**** cream 397g tin**** condensed milk** **2 **tsp vanilla bean paste Amaretti, to serve

A few hours before making the ice-cream, and ideally the night before, soak the raisins. Put them in a small airtight container, cover with the sherry and add the orange zest and nutmeg. Stir to combine, then seal and leave the raisins to absorb the sherry; don’t worry, there will still be some liquid left.

To make the ice-cream, mix the cream, condensed milk and vanilla bean paste in a large bowl. Whisk with a hand mixer until the mix thickens to soft peaks, then fold in the soaked raisins and any remaining sherry, and mix until well combined. Spoon into a 2kg airtight container, seal and freeze for at least six hours.

Serve with amaretti biscuits crushed on top and/or a drizzle more sherry, if you fancy.

Fig and hazelnut crumble mince pies

Flora Shedden’s fig and hazelnut crumble mince pies.

This makes 12 mince pies, but I always recommend doubling this up as 12 never seem to last long enough in our house.

Prep **10 min **Chill **30 min **Cook 50 min, plus cooling Makes 12

For the pastry 125g** butter 100g**** icing**** sugar**, plus extra to serve** 250g**** plain**** flour**, plus extra for dusting 2 egg yolks

For the filling 110g** dried figs**, stalks removed, flesh chopped 400g** mincemeat** 30g** brandy**

For the crumble 75g** hazelnuts**, roughly chopped 50g** oats** 25g** soft light brown sugar 25g butter**

To serve Brown sugar brandy butter, or clotted cream

First, make the pastry. Put all the ingredients apart from the egg yolks in a food processor and blitz on high speed until the mixture hasa crumble-like consistency (alternatively, do this by hand, working the butter into the flour and sugar until you have a sand-like texture). Stop the machine, scrape down the sides and blitz again, stopping when the mixture just starts to come together into a dough.Add the egg yolks, then work gently to bring the dough together.

Flatten the dough into a rough circle about 2cm thick. This helps chill the dough faster and makes it easier to roll out. Wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (and for up to three days).

For the filling, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5. Take the pastry out of the fridge and leave tit o come to room temperature for 15 minutes.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then roll out the dough to 2–3mm thick. Use a 10cm pastry cutter to cut out 12 discs, re-rolling any scraps as needed. Lightly flour a 12-hole muffin tin and press a disc into each hole, using your fingers to get it into the corners. Trim off any excess pastry and put in a bowl with any pastry offcuts you have from rolling.

To make the crumble, add the chopped hazelnuts, oats, sugar and butter to the pastry offcuts, then mix with your hands until you have a chunky crumble.

Divide the mincemeat filling between the tart cases, then spoon the crumble on top. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and the pastry is cooked through. Remove and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out gently with a fine knife and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature, generously dusted with icing sugar and a good dollop of brandy butter or clotted cream. The pies will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

These recipes are edited extracts from Winter in the Highlands, by Flora Shedden, published by Quadrille at £26. To order a copy for £23.40, visit guardianbookshop.com