Fennel marzipan-stuffed dates

These make a lovely nibble to end a meal and take 10 minutes to make. I wouldn’t try to make them with shop-bought marzipan, as this almond paste is less sweet.

SPICE SWITCH: Instead of fennel, use ½tsp ground cinnamon, then knead 2 chopped balls of crystallised ginger into the paste. 

In A Whisper of Cardamom: Sweetly Spiced Recipes to Fall in Love With (Murdoch Books, £26), food writer and cook Eleanor Ford explores the creative use of spices in sweet dishes. These recipes from the book highlight the varied combinations that help to unlock distinctive flavour and fragrance.

Next, why not try more great recipes from the House & Garden recipe archive?