What’s trending?

Wobbly desserts

Expect to see blancmange and jelly on your dessert table this season. Lakeland recently reported that sales of its jelly moulds were up 293%, and that was before blancmange featured on this year’s Great British Bake Off, which increased its popularity even further.

Black Forest

And talking of retro desserts, Eighties classic Black Forest gateau is back too. We’ve noticed a prevalence of chocolate and cherry desserts both in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. See bbcgoodfood.com for our Black Forest puds.

Christmas pudding gin

The nation’s favourite spirit gets a festive nod this year, as several gins have been flavoured with Christmas pudding. Yes, actual Christmas pudding is used as a flavouring in bottles by Gin Tales, Sacred Gin and Four Pillars, while That Boutique-y Gin Company goes one step further by adding other Christmassy ingredients including pine tree needles, frankincense and myrrh.

Pigs in blankets with a twist

If you thought sausages wrapped in bacon could never be updated, think again. This year, supermarkets are experimenting with their offerings. We’ve seen ‘pigs in duvets’ (wrapped in a puff pastry wreath) at Tesco and giant, (foot long!) pigs in blankets at Aldi. See p38 for our pigs-in-blankets stuffing balls.