I've made and marzipanned the christmas cake - Mary Berry's Victorianna christmas cake which I do every year and it never fails; it will be iced tomorrow. This year for the first time ever I've pickled shallots and they will be ready for New Year.

I am planning to try 2 Nigella Lawson recipes, one for spiced peaches and one for chocolate pistachio fudge. She serves the spiced peaches with ham. I usually cook a piece of ham over the Christmas and Easter holidays but it isn't quite as big as the one she cooked! She used 7 litres of ginger ale to cook it in. I've never tried that before so I'm seriously considering it. I won't need 7 litres though!