Comfort

Easy-to-make blue cheese straws create a unique crust, adding both flavour and crunch to this beef pie enriched with Pedro Ximénez sherry

Lean turkey steaks cook quickly, are a good source of protein and absorb the flavours of this smoky, rich sauce, which is packed with four of your 5-a-day

Try our healthier, but no-less-comforting, take on the Russian classic

A lighter twist on a traditional hotpot, using chicken sausages which are far lower in fat than the pork equivalent. Topping the hotpot with ready-made gnocchi instead of potatoes is a super time-saver, and you get some lovely crispy bits on them too

This glorious autumnal tart incorporates many of the foods that have been associated with the festival of Halloween and its predecessors for centuries: apples, honey, walnuts and hazelnuts

Steamed sponge puddings have a lovely light texture and the Guinness in this one adds a hint of bitterness to offset the rich chocolate. Steam it in a pan, on the hob or in a slow cooker

As this zingy pud – sometimes known as lemon magic or lemon surprise – bakes, the batter separates into a soft sponge and creamy sauce. Blackberries add an extra autumnal dimension

Often called Scotland’s national soup, cock-a-leekie dates back to the 16th century and remains a traditional course at Burns Night and St Andrew’s Day suppers. However, it likely began life in France, as a chicken and onion soup. Rice or barley is sometimes used to make it thicker, while prunes are a hotly contested addition.

An umami-packed beef stew enriched with a dauphinoise-style parsnip crust.