Let your kids loose in the kitchen with two recipes made for sticky fingers – we take no responsibility for the mess afterwards!

Orange & pistachio buns

Prep time 20 minutes • Cook time 45 minutes
50g pistachios, crushed, plus extra to decorate
50g soft brown sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
Zest 1 orange
1 sheet puff pastry
30g butter, melted and cooled
For the glaze:
Zest 1 orange, juice of 2
150g caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 210ºC/190ºC fan/gas 7. Grease a 20cm round cake tin. Combine the pistachios, sugar, cardamom and orange zest.
2. Lay the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and brush with the butter. Sprinkle over the pistachio mix and press into the pastry. Roll up the pastry into a tight tube, starting at one long side. Slice into 8 x 2.5cm rounds.
3. Place the rolls around the inside edge of the cake tin, leaving 1cm between each. Bake for 40-45 mins, until crisp and golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a heavy-based pan, bring the orange juice, zest and sugar to the boil then simmer for 5-10 mins, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens. Set aside.
5. Leave the buns to cool for 5 mins, then remove from the tin. Brush with the glaze while the buns are still warm. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios.

Gingerbread window biscuits

Prep time 25 minutes • Cook time 12 minutes
200g Gingerbread Mix
8 boiled sweets (in colour of your choice)s

1. Make the gingerbread mix according to packet instructions, wrap in cling-film then place in the fridge.
2. Place the boiled sweets in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin to crush.
3. Heat the oven to 170°C/190ºC fan/gas 3 and line baking sheets with baking paper.
4. Roll out half the dough (keeping the remainder in the fridge until needed) on a lightly floured surface or parchment, to a thickness of about 4mm.
5. Cut out shapes with a biscuit cutter and transfer to one of the lined baking sheets.
6. Use a smaller cutter to cut out shapes in the centre of each biscuit. Re-roll any scraps of dough to cut out more shapes then repeat with the second half of the dough.
7. Place crushed sweets in the centre of each dough shape, then use a drinking straw to pierce a hole at the top (so that you will be able to attach a ribbon later).
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden.
9. Leave the biscuits to cool on the tray until they harden, before gently lifting on to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. When ready to hang, loop coloured ribbons through the wholes made in each biscuit, tie, and hang on your tree.