Christmas baking recipes: How to prepare and cook fruit cake, puddings, rum balls

Let it soak

Around six weeks before Christmas, give yourself a head start on your baking by getting all your fruit ready for the Christmas cakes, puddings and mince pies. The best news is that not only will this let you spread the workload across the weeks leading up to Christmas, but it will also add to the flavour of your finished product! Simply combine the fruit mix ingredients and cover with brandy, whisky or whatever alcohol you'll be using and cover securely. Leave in the fridge to macerate for anywhere from a week to two months, stirring occasionally and adding more alcohol if needed.

Get organised

Rather than wait until the last minute, or only make enough to see you through a few days, look ahead and figure out how much food you'll need for the entire festive season. Take into account parties, afternoon teas, get togethers and unexpected guests and then tally it all up to get a rough idea of the total amount. This way you can double, or triple, recipes then stick what you don't need in the freezer ready for a later date.

Make a list – and check it twice

Before heading to the shops to stock up for your Christmas cooking, make a detailed list of exactly what you need for each recipe. Take into account icing, decorations, storage containers and finishing touches and make sure you have everything ready before you get started. Add together your quantities of butter, sugar and other staples to make sure you have enough to cover all your recipes. This will save you having to head down to the shops halfway through to restock supplies.

Set aside a day

Unfortunately, not everything can be made in advance, so set aside a day to cook all your favourite festive treats. Rather than try and fit your baking around your usual schedule, make this a day dedicated to baking. Put on your favourite carols, pour yourself a drink and soon this day will be part of your family's Christmas traditions.

Christmas baking recipes: How to prepare and cook fruit cake, puddings, rum balls

Make ahead

Some things can be made well ahead of time and frozen, ready to be pulled out when guests drop in. In fact, Christmas cake can be made up to two months in advance and stored in a cool, dry place ahead of time. Pastry cases, cakes and brownies can all be made up to a month in advanced, and then finished off just before needed. Here are some Christmas treats that can all be made ahead of schedule and kept in the freezer until needed:

Freeze your desserts

When it comes to desserts, use the warm weather to your advantage to make refreshing frozen desserts ready for Christmas. Christmas puddings and cakes can also be frozen ahead of time. After baking, let them sit for at least a week so that their flavours have a chance to develop, then wrap them securely and pop them in the freezer. Here are some of our favourite festive desserts that can be made in advance and frozen: