Spiced cranberry and orange brulee - recipe cost £5.07 (£1.27 each)

An easy, unctuous and very Christmassy do-ahead dessert. You can use a cook's blow torch for the brulee but the caramel won't be as crunchy as putting it under the grill.

Method

Place the cranberries in the dish and add the orange zest. Sprinkle in the caster sugar, followed by the spices, give everything a good stir and pop the dish in the oven. Cook for 25 minutes until the cranberries are tender, then leave them to cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine the yoghurt and creme fraiche in a bowl and, when the cranberries are cold, spread this mixture over evenly, making sure it goes right up to the edge. Cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for an hour. When you're ready to make the topping, preheat the grill to its highest setting - let it heat up for at least quarter of an hour.

Spread the demerara sugar evenly over the creme fraiche and yoghurt, then place the dish about 7.5cm (3 inches) from the grill and let the sugar bubble and turn a lovely golden brown colour - this should take about 8 minutes, but watch it like a hawk. Leave to cool and place in the fridge, uncovered, until ready to serve. It will keep for up to 2 hours.

RECIPE COST: £5.07 (£1.27 PER PORTION)