As a boy, I remember looking forward to the few weeks before Christmas when we used to get bars of Toblerone from an uncle. At the time, I thought they were very exotic treats – lucky me.

Now, every year, my mother sends us several jars of home-made marmalade that she lovingly packs in a weaved basket with ribbons.

Since getting married, my wife Tana and I have started a little home-made gift-giving tradition of our own. We usually make batches of flavoured shortbreads (something from my Scottish heritage) and fill jars with lovely poached fruit or quince jam. But the pièce de résistance has to be our chocolate truffles.

We get the whole family involved and have a little truffle-rolling competition.

I usually make up two batches of chocolate ganache – one that’s infused with the subtle flavour of mint or vanilla for the children to work with, and the other spiked with liqueur for the grown-ups. Grand Marnier, champagne and kirsch are usually the most popular flavours.

Although they won’t last as long as fruitcakes, these gifts will keep for a good few weeks if stored properly – the shortbreads in airtight containers and the poached pears and truffles in the fridge.

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