The Perry Family Christmas cake dates back to the late 19th century and has been passed down from my great-grandmother Jesse (Nee Staples) McAuliffe … Grandma Jesse was known for her Christmas cake; she made batches for the whole community in Lucknow from a bakery with my Nana Phyllis. It is still a Christmas heirloom that reminds us of all of our roots and the people we love most.

When life gives you joy, why not add some honey?

It’s a tradition that dates back to around the 1300s, where bakers would often insert charms or rings into cakes or puddings and those who found it would receive ‘good luck’. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or custard, and make sure you remind people to chew slowly so that they don’t swallow a coin.