Dessert bar

Boozy fruit-and-nut butterscotch brownies

Made with roasted walnuts and candied fruit peel soaked in cherry brandy, you get a subtle burst of juices from the candied peel and the contrasting crunch from the walnuts with each bite. Think of these brownies as chewy fruit cake in small doses.

Cook time: 30

Servings: 12 brownies

Blondies (butterscotch brownies) with peanut butter and chocolate chips

Made with dark chocolate morsels, pecans and Reese’s peanut butter morsels, I baked these butterscotch brownies for my husband's birthday many years ago. He loves butterscotch brownies, you see.

Cook time: 20

Servings: 12 brownies

Marbled butterscoth and chocolate brownies

Easy-to-make (no, you don’t have to prepare the butterscotch and choocolate batters separately) and budget friendly, these two-tone brownies make an ideal holiday food gift or potluck contribution.

Cook time: 40

Servings: 16 brownies

Red velvet cheesecake bars

Brighten up your holiday table with this lovely dessert. I recommend baking it a day ahead. Keep in the fridge in a tightly covered container (chilling firms it up and makes cutting easier, and the bars come out cleaner and neater) then cut into rectangles or squares just before serving.

Cook time: 30

Servings: 36 dessert bars

Lemon cheese bars

A more indulgent version of traditional lemon bars (or squares), a pastry that consists of lemon curd baked over a shortbread crust. Mascarpone is added to the curd in this recipe to make the lemon bars creamy and richer.

Cook time: 1

Servings: 16 lemon cheese bars

Food for the gods

Food for the gods is best described as butterscotch (or blondies) squares or bars baked with Medjool dates and walnuts. The pastry hails from the Philippines where it traditionally makes an appearance during the Christmas season.

Cook time: 30

Servings: 16 two-inch bars