From the House & Gardens Absolutely Delicious article [December 2011]: here are Lyndy’s recipes for Christmas entertaining and ideas for home-made gifts.

Buttery, crumbly, cheesy, just a little spicy and perfect with a glass of chilled white wine or sherry. Coat the outside of these biscuits with a mixture of sesame and kalonji seeds to make them a more sophisticated cocktail nibble.

175g plain flour plus extra for dusting
sea salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp mustard powder
1 tsp cumin or caraway seeds, lightly crushed
150g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
75g mature cheddar cheese, finely grated
75g parmesan, finely grated
1 tbsp milk
sesame seeds
kalonji seeds(black onion) (optional)

Tip the flour, salt, cayenne, mustard powder, cumin or caraway seeds and some black pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Add the diced butter and use the pulse button to rub it into the dry ingredients. Add the grated cheeses and pulse again until the dough just comes together- you may need to add a drop of cold water.
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a log roughly 5cm in diameter, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours until firm.
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a baking sheet with non-stick backing parchment. Take the log out of the fridge, remove the clingfilm and brush with milk before coating in the sesame and kalonji seeds (if using). Slice the log into discs, roughly 5mm thick, and arrange on the baking sheets, spacing the biscuits well apart.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Once completely cold, the sables can be packaged. Stored in an airtight box, they will keep for 4-5 days.

Freeze-dried raspberries are available online or from good health food shops. Crystallised rose petals are available from good cookshops. As an alternative you could top the wafers with candied stem ginger or chopped dried fruits and nuts.

150g 70% dark chocolate
150g good quality white chocolate
3-4 tbsp dried lavender flowers, crumbled
3-4 tbsp pink sugar sprinkles

Line 2 large baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment. Break the dark and white chocolate into pieces and melt separately in heatproof bowls set over pans of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of melted chocolate onto the baking sheets, spreading it into discs with the back of the spoon. Scatter with the lavender bits or sugar sprinkles. Set aside to cool and harden completely before removing from the parchment with a palette knife. Stored in an airtight container, these will keep for 4-5 days.

 
These marshmallows are best eaten in 1-2 days. Do not refrigerate and store between sheets of non-stick baking paper in an airtight container.

1 ½ tablespoons gelatine powder
125ml water
385g caster superfine sugar
160ml glucose syrup
60ml water (extra)
200g dark chocolate, melted

Place the gelatine and water in the bowl of an electric mixer and stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Place the sugar, corn syrup and extra water in a saucepan over high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Place a sugar (candy) thermometer in the saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 120C (250F). With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the sugar mixture to the gelatine mixture. Increase the speed and whisk for 4-5 mins or until the mixture is light and fluffy and beginning to cool. Pour the marshmallow mixture into a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm cake tin lined with no-stick baking paper, top with the chocolate and use a skewer to make swirls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside, at room temperature, for four hours or until set. Cut into large squares and serve with the spiced hot chocolate.

 
950g white chocolate, chopped into ½ inch pieces
12 large candy canes
½ tsp peppermint oil

Line an 11-by-17- inch baking sheet with parchment and set aside. In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate stirring constantly. With a chef’s knife or meat tenderizer, cut or pound candy canes into ¼ inch pieces. Stir pieces of candy canes and peppermint oil into the melted chocolate. Remove from heat and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly.
Chill until firm, 25-30 minutes. Break into pieces and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

340g caster sugar
170g glucose syrup
¾ tbs salt
30g butter
100ml water
195g mixed whole nuts
1tsp vanilla extract

Cook sugar, glucose, salt and water in a small pan until you have a light caramel colour, don’t stir at this stage. Once you have the correct colour, mix in the butter, nuts, vanilla and bicarbonate of soda. Be careful as it will bubble up at this stage. Once everything is combined, pour it onto a lined baking sheet and spread thinly, leave to set.

 
225g unsalted butter, plus extra for baking sheets
150g corn kernels
2 tbs plus 1½ tspn canola oil
200g raw almonds
450g packed light brown sugar
170g glucose syrup
2tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp pure almond extract
¾tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter 2 rimmed baking sheets; set aside. Place corn kernals and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, cover. Once kernels begin to pop, shake pot frequently; when popping slows to about 3 seconds between pops, remove from heat; uncover. Transfer to a large bowl; add almonds; toss.
Cook sugar, butter and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until it reaches 255 degrees
Remove from heat. Stir in extracts, salt and baking soda. Pour over popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Divide between prepared sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.