Use tender dates that measure at least 1 1/4 inches in length; smaller, drier dates are difficult to stuff. Do not use Medjool dates or thick-cut bacon in this recipe. Freezing the blue cheese for 20 minutes makes it easier to crumble. Our preferred supermarket blue cheese is Stella Blue.

Hokey Pokey Makes: 125g / 2 cups ½ cup superfine sugar 4 tablespoons golden syrup or light corn syrup 1½ teaspoons baking soda METHOD Put the sugar and syrup into a large saucepan (20cm / 8 inches diameter and at least 9cm / 3½ inches deep) and stir together to mix. You mustn't stir once the pan's on the heat, though. Place the pan on the heat and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo and then to a bubbling mass the colour of maple syrup — this will take 3 minutes or so. Off the heat, whisk in the baking soda and watch the syrup turn into a whooshing cloud of aerated pale gold. Turn this immediately onto a piece of reusable baking parchment or greased foil. Leave until set and then bash at it, so that it splinters into many glinting pieces.

Super Mini Cheesecakes: Line a 24-count mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners or grease with nonstick spray or butter. For easy and seamless removal from the pan, using liners is preferable. Make the crust and cheesecake batter as directed. Press 2 teaspoons of crust into each mini muffin liner. Pre-bake at 350°F (177°C) for 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill each with cheesecake batter. Bake for 10–11 minutes or until the cheesecakes appear set on top. Continue with Step 6 in this recipe. Yields approximately 30 super mini cheesecakes.