Toast the hazelnuts in a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat for 2 minutes, until lightly golden, tossing regularly, then tip into a pestle and mortar, returning the pan to the heat.

Pour in the pears (juice and all), let them get hot, then add the Armagnac.

Stand back and carefully set light to the liquor with a match.

Let it flame, then leave to bubble and reduce to a lovely syrup.

Meanwhile, crush the hazelnuts and divide between four plates, making a pile on each one.

Spoon the pears on to the plates, cup side up.

Remove the syrup from the heat, then snap most of the chocolate into the pan.

While it melts, top each hazelnut pile with a nice round scoop of ice cream, and shave over the last bit of chocolate.

Mix up the chocolate syrup, drizzle into the pear cups, and serve.

Cut off the watermelon rind, then chop the flesh into chunks, picking out any seeds.

Roughly chop the ginger and place in a large sealable freezer bag with the watermelon chunks.

Finely grate in the lime zest, squeeze in all the juice, then freeze flat for at least 8 hours, or until super-hard.

When ready to serve, pick and reserve the baby mint leaves, then pick the rest into a food processor.

Tip in the frozen watermelon mixture and blitz to a pink snow (in batches, if you need to).

Serve 2 heaped tablespoons of granita per person, with 1 tablespoon of yoghurt, a drizzle of ginger syrup from the jar and a few baby mint leaves.

It’s nice to use chilled plates, bowls or glasses here.

Rub the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with olive oil and line with greaseproof paper, then rub the paper with oil, too.

Melt 50g of chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then remove.

Snap the Hobnobs into a food processor and blitz with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until well combined.

Drizzle in the melted chocolate, then pulse again.

Pat into the cake tin in a 1cm-thick layer.

Peel the bananas, tear into the food processor, add the cream cheese and dulce de leche, blitz well until nice and smooth, then pour over the biscuit base.

Freeze overnight or until needed, transferring to the fridge for 2 hours before serving, or until it’s the slicing consistency you like.

Loosen the edges of the cheesecake with a palette knife, then release from the tin.

Shave or grate over the remaining chocolate, and serve.

Delicious.

Pick the mint leaves into a pestle and mortar, reserving a small handful of leaves to one side.

Pound the rest into a paste, then muddle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to make a mint oil.

Top and tail the pineapple, then slice off the skin.

Quarter lengthways, remove the core, then finely slice lengthways.

Arrange on a large platter or divide between your plates.

Take the time to halve the blueberries, then sprinkle over the top.

Ripple some mint oil through the yoghurt (saving the rest for another recipe), then spoon over the fruit.

Finely grate over the lime zest from a height and squeeze over the juice.

Finely slice and sprinkle over the reserved mint leaves, then drizzle with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil (yes, you heard it – delicious).

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.

Place a 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat.

Halve and destone the plums, add to the pan with 30ml of water, and cook for 1 minute.

From a height, sprinkle over half the cinnamon, then evenly pour over the maple syrup.

Place the pastry over the plums, using a wooden spoon to push it into the edges of the pan, and trimming off any excess to patch up little gaps, if needed.

Bake at the bottom of the oven for 16 minutes, or until golden and puffed up.

Making sure you use oven gloves to protect your hands, confidently and very carefully turn the tarte out on to a plate bigger than the pan.

Dish up with nice round scoops of ice cream, sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon from a height and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Preheat the grill to high.

Toast the almonds on a tray as it heats up, keeping a close eye on them and removing as soon as lightly golden.

Slice up the peaches and divide between four ovenproof bowls, along with their juice.

Sit a nice round scoop of ice cream on top of each, and place in the freezer.

Separate the eggs.

Put the whites into the bowl of a free-standing mixer (save the yolks for another recipe), add a pinch of sea salt and whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks (you could use an electric hand whisk).

With the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar until combined.

Spoon into a piping bag (I like a star-shaped nozzle) or a large sandwich bag that you can snip the corner off.

Remove the bowls from the freezer and scatter over the toasted almonds.

Pipe the meringue over the ice cream as delicately or roughly as you like.

Now – I work two at a time to retain maximum control – pop the bowls under the grill for just 2 minutes, or until golden.

Remove carefully and serve right away.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.

Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line with greaseproof paper.

In a bowl, mix together the butter, flour, sugar and the finely grated zest of half the orange by rubbing the mixture between your thumbs and fingertips.

Squash and pat into dough – don’t knead it – then push into the lined tin in a 1cm-thick layer.

Prick all over with a fork, then bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Remove, sprinkle over a little extra sugar while it’s still warm, then leave to cool.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then remove.

Cut the shortbread into 12 finger portions, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Drizzle with the chocolate, then finely grate over the remaining orange zest.

Cut up the orange, and serve on the side!

Get your ice cream out of the freezer.

Put the sultanas, raisins and a splash of water into a pan on a medium heat, so they plump up for a few minutes as the water evaporates.

Meanwhile, smash up the biscuits in a pestle and mortar and divide between four bowls, adding a nice round ball of ice cream to each.

When the water’s gone, pour the rum over the sultanas and raisins and carefully set fire to it with a match, if you like (stand back!

).

Once the flames begin to subside, spoon the mixture over your ice cream balls.

Heaven.

Grease six heatproof teacups with a little olive oil.

In a large bowl, whisk 100ml of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of marmalade with the cream and eggs.

Add the flour, almonds and a pinch of sea salt, and whisk again to combine.

Place the remaining marmalade in a small pan with a splash of water and simmer on a medium-high heat until thick and syrupy, then remove.

Divide the pudding mixture between the teacups, then microwave in pairs for 2½ to 3 minutes on high, or until puffed up.

Turn out, drizzle with the marmalade syrup, and serve with a little extra cream, if you like.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

Line two trays with greaseproof paper and rub with olive oil.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then remove and stir in the butter so it melts.

Tear the bread into a food processor and blitz into fine crumbs, then add the eggs and sugar, and blitz again well.

With the processor still running, pour in the chocolate mixture and let it blitz until combined.

Spoon the cookie mix into a large sandwich bag, snip off the corner and pipe 3–4cm blobs to make 24 cookies on the lined trays.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until spread and set.

Sprinkle with sea salt, leave to cool a little, and tuck in.