‘The UK needs some media free of US control’: Comcast’s move for ITV starts to focus minds
The prospect of Comcast taking over ITV has prompted concerns about the impact on British public service broadcasting, a fact that Channel 4’s new chief executive, moving from a senior post at Sky, will be all too well aware.Sky’s advertising chief, Priya Dogra, will now be expected to lead the charge to block her former employer’s takeover plan to protect Channel 4.The proposed combination of Sky and ITV’s broadcasting operation would leave Channel 4 a relative commercial minnow when it comes to TV and digital ad sales, reigniting talk of the need to revisit some form of tie-up with the BBC for long-term survival.However, it is the potential ramifications on the future of news provision that are causing the most immediate alarm for many in the TV industry.The surprise news last month that Comcast, which owns assets including Universal Studios and bought Rupert Murdoch’s Sky for £30bn in 2018, makes commercial sense
Labour is procrastinating over policy as UK’s economy goes backwards | Phillip Inman
There is a heavy cloud hanging over Labour’s Christmas celebrations.The most recent figures show the economy is going backwards and worse, the slide is prompting recession talk in the corridors of City banks.If there is a recession, it will only be slight, but with unemployment rising and businesses reluctant to invest, the economy remains stuck in first gear.In this gloomy atmosphere, not many Labour MPs will feel comfortable donning paper hats and toasting their leaders.Especially not when Whitehall is dominated by a single activity – procrastination
Zipcar’s rivals consider London expansion after it reveals UK exit
Several car-sharing companies are considering launching or expanding in London, with the imminent closure of Zipcar’s UK operation leaving a large gap in the market in one of Europe’s biggest cities.Free2Move, owned by the carmaker Stellantis, said it was “closely monitoring the London market”, and “actively assessing” options for its services. It already operates fleets in cities including Berlin, Paris, Rome and Washington DC.Enterprise Car Club, which already has some cars in London, said it “will continue to seek out opportunities to expand our network and provide people with alternative transport options by the hour or day”.Co Wheels, which operates across the UK and with a handful of cars in the capital, said it was “actively discussing” options with several London boroughs in recent days
Trump demands Fed listen to him as he lines up new leader: ‘I’m a smart voice’
Donald Trump declared he “should be listened to” by the Federal Reserve, as he weighs candidates to lead the central bank amid an extraordinary campaign by the White House to exert greater control over its decisions.The US president said on Friday that former Fed governor Kevin Warsh is currently top of his list to chair the central bank.Jerome Powell, the current Fed chairperson, is scheduled to finish an eight-year stint in the role next May. He has repeatedly defied Trump’s demands for drastic cuts to interest rates, prompting the president to launch a string of public attacks.Trump is also considering his adviser Kevin Hassett, who leads the National Economic Council, as a potential chair of the Fed
‘Every Leon should be magical’: food chain’s co-founder on what went wrong – and how to fix it
John Vincent on bouncing back after cutting branches, refreshing the menu, and staff learning from martial arts John Vincent is going back to the future. Four years after selling Leon, the fast food chain named after his father and founded in 2004 with two friends, he has bought it back with hopes of reviving its fortunes.“In a crisis you need a pilot in full control,” the martial arts fan says, speaking to the Guardian from Leon’s headquarters near London Bridge.He is getting his metaphorical trainers on to “outrun the lion” as he ploughs his efforts and his own money into reviving the troubled chain.The former management consultant bought back Leon for a rumoured £30m-£50m – significantly less than the £100m he sold it for – from the supermarket chain Asda in October, 21 years after the first restaurant opened in Camden
December cut to UK interest rates ‘nailed on’ after economy shrinks unexpectedly by 0.1% in October – as it happened
Economists are convinced that the Bank of England will respond to the UK’s weak economic performance by cutting interest rates next week.The Bank’s monetary policy committee will make its final decision of the year on Thursday 18th December, and a rate cut to 3.75% appears highly likely now that the economy shrunk by 0.1% in October.Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, says:The surprise 0
Damn dalmatian! Fury erupts after David Jones cancels Christmas window display to promote joy of … its loyalty program
Two weeks out from Christmas, the footpath outside Sydney’s flagship David Jones store would usually be packed with eager-eyed families lining up to view the retailer’s traditional festive window display.But on Friday morning, Elizabeth Street was mostly empty. An upset-looking child in a pram stared forlornly at a Valentino advertisement.Sydneysiders have come out swinging after the department store replaced its famous Christmas window display with a celebration of its new loyalty program and associated mascot, Domino the dalmatian.Sign up: AU Breaking News emailA David Jones spokesperson said the company understood “how deeply sentimental the Christmas windows are for many families”, adding it “truly appreciated the feedback”
EU’s 2035 petrol and diesel car ban will be watered down, says senior MEP
The EU’s outright ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is poised to be watered down, a senior European parliament politician has said.The decision, expected to be announced by the European Commission on Tuesday in Strasbourg, would be a divisive move, angering environmental campaigners who argue it would amount to the “gutting” of the EU’s flagship green deal.The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said on Friday he “supported” such a climbdown, having advocated strongly for changes to the rules on the end of the combustion engine for months.“The reality is that there will still be millions of combustion engine-based cars around the world in 2035, 2040 and 2050,” he said.Under the existing laws, approved two years ago, all cars coming on the market from 2035 have to be zero CO2 emissions, meaning the end of the road for hybrid vehicles as well as those running solely on fossil fuels
Card Factory issues shock profit warning during peak Christmas period
Card Factory has delivered an unwelcome early Christmas surprise for investors by issuing a shock profit warning during the greetings card retailer’s peak trading period, which sent shares plunging by more than a fifth.The retailer, which also owns the online card and gift brand Funky Pigeon, said economic pressure on shoppers has hit confidence in its most important trading period of the year.“Over recent months, the pressures facing the UK consumer have been well publicised,” the company said in a trading update. “It is an inescapable fact that these pressures have impacted consumer confidence and shopping behaviour, contributing to soft high street footfall.“Those conditions have persisted as we moved into our most important trading period, leading to a UK store sales performance which is lower than our previous expectations
Nationwide fined £44m by watchdog for financial crime control failings
Nationwide has been fined £44m by the City watchdog over “weak” financial crime controls that culminated in a serious case of Covid fraud that cost UK taxpayers £800,000.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fined the building society for failures stretching over nearly five years. It said the lender had been aware that some customers were using personal accounts for business activity, in a breach of its own terms.Nationwide did not offer business accounts at that point and so did not have the right processes in place to monitor potential financial crime risks, the FCA said.This resulted in a case where Nationwide failed to catch a customer using personal current accounts to receive 24 fraudulent Covid furlough payments, totalling £27
UK economy shrank unexpectedly before budget, data shows
Britain’s economy shrank unexpectedly in October as consumers held back on spending before Rachel Reeves’s budget, and car manufacturing struggled to recover from the cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed gross domestic product fell by 0.1%, after a 0.1% drop in output in September. City economists had predicted a 0
New laws may be considered after ‘harrowing stories’ from ex-Vodafone franchisees
The government may consider new laws to correct the power imbalance in franchise agreements in response to the “harrowing stories” of small business people running Vodafone stores.The move follows allegations of suicide and attempted suicide among shopkeepers who had agreed to deals to run retail outlets for the £18bn telecoms company, which were revealed by the Guardian on Monday.During Thursday’s business questions in the Commons, Justin Madders, a former minister, said: “I’m sure the department will have been aware of the coverage this week of some of the harrowing stories of the treatment of Vodafone franchisees … [The department] will no doubt recognise the power imbalance in that relationship and will they consider looking at some measures to redress that imbalance perhaps by a statutory code of practice or a national arbitration system?”Chris Bryant, a minister of state at the Department for Business and Trade, said: “I am happy to sit down with him and discuss whether there are specific proposals that we could bring forward which would address that issue of imbalance.”Outside the chamber another former business minister, Labour’s Gareth Thomas, added: “This case continues to raise disturbing echoes of the Post Office scandal and raises the question as to whether the law around franchising needs to be toughened up to ensure small-business owners are better protected.”On Monday, the Guardian revealed allegations that Adrian Howe, a former Vodafone employee who had agreed to become a franchisee in 2018, had taken his own life after becoming convinced his deal with the multinational company would prove financially disastrous
Disney wants you to AI-generate yourself into your favorite Marvel movie
Musk calls Doge only ‘somewhat successful’ and says he would not do it again
ICE is using smartwatches to track pregnant women, even during labor: ‘She was so afraid they would take her baby’
From ‘glacier aesthetic’ to ‘poetcore’: Pinterest predicts the visual trends of 2026 based on its search data
UK police forces lobbied to use biased facial recognition technology
Trump clears way for Nvidia to sell powerful AI chips to China
AI researchers are to blame for serving up slop | Letter
EU opens investigation into Google’s use of online content for AI models
Australia launches a social media ban – and is AI a bubble about to pop?
‘I feel it’s a friend’: quarter of teenagers turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
Social media use damages children’s ability to focus, say researchers
‘It has to be genuine’: older influencers drive growth on social media
Want job security in the age of AI? Get a state license – any state license
When I was in college and didn’t know what to do with my life, my dad offered this career advice: be a certified public accountant. Why?“Because,” he said. “People will always need their taxes done. They’ll always need financial advice. With a CPA license, you can always hang out a shingle and put food on the table
Don’t use ‘boilerplate’ reasons to justify big executive pay rises, UK firms warned
The UK’s largest listed companies have been warned against using “boilerplate” arguments to justify big executive pay increases by an influential group of shareholders.The Investment Association (IA) – whose members manage £10tn of assets – has told pay committees to avoid “benchmarking”: where companies argue higher pay is needed in order to match rivals and avoid bosses jumping ship for larger salaries and bonuses elsewhere.The IA – whose members include Schroders, Legal & General and Aviva – used its annual letter to London-listed companies to say that the “use of benchmarking on its own to justify increases in remuneration is not appropriate, as it can lead to a ratchet effect in the market”.It stopped short of naming any individual company but said it expected “well-substantiated” rationales for pay rises from remuneration committees.“To date, members have observed that some rationale disclosures have not met this expectation, with remuneration committees using boilerplate and generic justifications, often citing ‘competitiveness against peers’ or the need to ‘attract and retain talent’ without any further supporting information,” the letter said
YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos viewed 1.2bn times in 2025
YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos have amassed more than a billion views this year, as opportunists attempt to use AI-generated content to profit from political division in the UK.More than 150 channels have been detected in the last year that promote anti-Labour narratives, as well as outright fake and inflammatory accusations about Keir Starmer.A study seen by the Guardian has found the channels have accumulated 5.3m subscribers and have created more than 56,000 videos, with a total of almost 1.2bn views in 2025
Gavin Newsom pushes back on Trump AI executive order preempting state laws
The ink was barely dry on Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence executive order when Gavin Newsom came out swinging. Just hours after the order went public Thursday evening, the California governor issued a statement saying the presidential dictum, which seeks to block states from regulating AI of their own accord, advances “grift and corruption” instead of innovation.“President Trump and David Sacks aren’t making policy – they’re running a con,” Newsom said, referencing Trump’s AI adviser and crypto “czar”. “Every day, they push the limits to see how far they can take it.”Trump’s executive order is a major victory for tech companies that have campaigned against legislative barriers to developing and deploying their AI products
Patriots v Bills, Chiefs v Chargers, Bengals v Ravens and more: NFL week 15 – live
Patriots 24-21 Bills 5:27, 3rd quarterJosh Allen’s crew have just evaporated New England’s 21-0 lead in three possessions. MO-MENTUM.J Cook three-yard rushDalton Kincaid makes an excellent contested catch to put Buffalo two yards from home. Cook is stood up on the following rushing play. 3rd down
England need to be introduced to concept of consequences after Ashes flops | Mark Ramprakash
There’s always a lot of white noise around an Ashes series but at the moment for England it must be overwhelming, not just given their performances in the first two Tests but because of the mid-tour break they’ve just been on, with assorted media and attention-seekers following them around the beaches of Noosa.I absolutely understand that Brendon McCullum’s priority is to do what he believes is right for the team, but the optics around that trip were not great and many England fans, who have spent their hard-earned money travelling to Australia with little reward so far, will be quick to bring it up if they produce another poor display.Having just been rewarded for their two defeats with a nice few days of Queensland sunshine, it might now be time for the team to be introduced to the concept of consequences. They aren’t something this group have had to deal with for a while. The consistency of selection has been amazing, with players protected as a matter of policy from the threat of losing their place
Labour’s Andrew Gwynne says he has no plans to give up seat for Andy Burnham
The former health minister Andrew Gwynne has dismissed as “idle speculation” reports he could resign his seat as part of an Andy Burnham “coup” against Keir Starmer.Allies of Burnham were reported on Sunday to have identified a shortlist of seats to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to return to Westminster in the new year.One of these seats is said to be that of Gwynne, who was suspended by the Labour party in February after a leak of offensive WhatsApp messages.One source was quoted as saying that Burnham allies had found a “nailed on” constituency, while another reportedly said a seat was “likely to come free shortly” before the local elections in May.In a post on X on Sunday, Burnham dismissed the reports as “quite a lot of rubbish”, adding: “Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!”However, the former health secretary – who has been critical of Starmer’s leadership – has refused repeatedly to deny he would return to parliament if the opportunity arose
Shabana Mahmood dismisses White House’s ‘civilisational erasure’ claims
The US government’s claims that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” because of mass migration are an attempt to score political points against Muslims, the home secretary has suggested.Shabana Mahmood dismissed the idea that European civilisation and national identities were under threat because of migration and said the UK had managed the challenges of multiculturalism “very well”.Her comments are the strongest response from a government minister so far to Donald Trump’s national security strategy. Published this month, it triggered alarm with its wide-ranging attack on European governments and suggestion that the US should promote “patriotic” political parties.Asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News to respond to the strategy and its implicit criticism of Muslims in Europe, Mahmood said: “Others will want to make political points about whether there’s too many Muslims in Europe or not
How to make nesselrode pudding – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass
A luxurious iced dessert stuffed full of boozy dried fruit, candied peel and frozen chestnut pureeThis festive, frozen chestnut puree dessert is often credited to the great 19th-century chef Antonin Carême, even though the man himself conceded that this luxurious creation was that of Monsieur Mony, chef to the Russian diplomat Count Nesselrode (albeit, he observed somewhat peevishly, inspired by one of his own chestnut puddings). It was originally served with hot, boozy custard – though I think it’s just enough as it is – and it makes a fabulous Christmas centrepiece,Prep 15 min Soak Overnight Cook 20 min Freeze 2 hr+ Serves 6125g currants, or raisins or sultanas50g good-quality candied peel, finely chopped75ml maraschino, or other sweet alcohol of your choice (see step 2)1 vanilla pod, split, or 1 tsp vanilla extract600ml whipping cream 4 egg yolks 50g caster sugar 45g flaked almonds 125g whole peeled cooked chestnuts, or unsweetened chestnut pureePut the fruit and peel in a bowl. Mony’s recipe is reported to have contained currants and raisins (though other vine fruit, or indeed any chopped dried fruit you prefer, will work), as well as candied citron, the peel of a mild, thick-skinned citrus, which is available online, as are other candied peels that are far nicer than those chewy, greasy nubs sold in supermarkets.Add the alcohol: maraschino, an Italian sour cherry liqueur, is the original choice, but Claire Macdonald uses an orange triple sec, Victorian ice queen Agnes B Marshall brandy and noyaux, an almond-flavoured liqueur made from apricot kernels, and Regula Ysewijn mixes maraschino with dark rum. Madeira, sherry, port, etc, would surely be good, too
Festive food for less: Christmas dinner with all the cost trimmings
Figures show that the total cost of the all-important Christmas dinner is up 5% on a year ago, with the price of important elements such as pigs in blankets and stuffing up by 7%.With the cost of living still biting, however, a supermarket price war is taking some of the sting out of high food costs – with Aldi and Lidl selling the ingredients for a main Christmas meal for eight for less than £12.According to exclusive data prepared for Guardian Money by the analysts Assosia, the price of a frozen extra-large turkey is up 10p a kilogram to £3.70 (a 3% rise on a year ago) – which for an 8kg bird works out at £29.60
My cultural awakening: The Lehman Trilogy helped me to live with my sight loss
I began to notice my sight deteriorating in my 40s, but not just in the way that you expect it to with age. I had night blindness and blind spots in my field of view. At 44, I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that causes the retina cells to die. I had always been a very visually oriented person: I was a practising architect, and someone who loved to read, draw, go to the cinema and visit art exhibitions. So when black text disappeared on a glaring white page, films became impossible to follow and artworks only took shape once explained to me, I questioned who I would be without my vision
The Guide #221: Endless ticket queues, AI slop and ALL CAPS agony
It’s time for a big old moan. Next week’s newsletter will be a roundup of our favourite culture of the year, a bit of an annual Guide tradition by now, and something that’s great fun to put together.But do you know what’s even more fun? Complaining about things. So, this week’s Guide is devoted to cultural gripes, big and small, of 2025. Here’s what had us seething this year
Who is Al Carns? Former Marine and Labour minister with sights on leadership
Starmer to pick new US ambassador as relations with Trump tested
Infighting, broken promises and insisting on the national anthem: what seven months of Reform UK in charge actually looks like
Government’s process behind tackling violence against women ‘worse than under the Tories’
Reform UK claims it has overtaken Labour as Britain’s largest party
‘There’s been a Badenoch bounce’: is the Tory leader finally cutting through?
UK politics: Trump talks ‘complete nonsense’ about crime in London, says Met police commissioner – as it happened
Tory transport culture wars risked making roads less safe, says minister
Reform councillors accused of ‘rash promises’ as council tax rises loom
Dulwich college head responds to claims of teenage racism by Nigel Farage
House of Lords’ block on assisted dying bill is a big risk | Letter
UK politics: No 10 brushes off claims Streeting’s criticism of ‘technocratic approach’ refers to Starmer –as it happened
Roll up! Philip Khoury’s recipe for pistachio yule log | The sweet spot
This rich and moreish (and plant-based) yule log is a Lebanese Christmas favourite that harks back to the country’s French colonial pastI love a yule log, also known as a bûche de Noël. It’s a remnant from the time when Lebanon was a French colony, which lingers to the modern day, and is popular in Lebanese bakeries and patisseries over the Christmas period, often decorated with small figurines, plastic holly leaves and festive messages. Those decorations, and the trompe-l’oeil nature of this treat, enchanted me as a child, and I wanted to bring back some of that enchantment with this take on a woodland yule log.Prep 10 min Cook 3 hr 15 minChill 7 hr Serves 8–10For the chocolate chantilly mousse190ml plant-based milk, 100ml of it well chilled 120g dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa solids), chopped For the chocolate ganache200ml plant-based milk, 100ml of it well chilled 50g muscovado sugar, or dark brown sugar150g dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa solids), chopped For the pistachio praline200g shelled pistachios 100g icing sugar¼ tsp fine sea saltFor the aquafaba meringue mushrooms 75ml aquafaba¼ tsp cream of tartar150g caster sugarUnsweetened cocoa powder, for dustingMelted dark chocolate, for dipping For the pistachio sponge60g shelled pistachiosVegetable oil, for greasing 105g plain flour100g caster sugar¾ tsp baking powder¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda¼ tsp fine sea salt135ml soya milk¾ tsp vanilla extract1½ tsp apple cider vinegarTo decorate350g amarena cherries, or tinned cherries in syrup1 sprig dill Icing sugar, for dustingFor the mousse, heat 90ml milk in a saucepan on a medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour in the hot milk and blend with a handheld blender until completely smooth
Ho, ho, Hamburg: bringing the flavours of a true German Christmas market home
From glühwein to lebkuchen, bratwurst to stollen, recreating the delicacies I sampled in the city’s festive markets is wholly achievable. Plus, a new digital cookbook for a good cause Sign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastWithout wanting to sound tediously Scrooge-like, the German-style markets that have become seasonal fixtures in many British cities over the last few decades never make me feel particularly festive. What’s remotely Christmassy – or German – about Dubai-chocolate churros and Korean fried chicken, I grumble as I drag the dog (who enjoys all such things) around their perimeters.Hamburg’s markets, however, which I was myself dragged around last weekend, are a very different story. For a start, the city has many of them, mainly fairly small – and some, such as the “erotic Christmas market” in St Pauli, with a particular theme
Christmas gift ideas for drinks lovers, from champagne to canned cocktails
Don’t get pulled in by silly gadgets: buy presents you’d be happy to receive yourselfThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Alcohol is an unavoidable part of a festive spread (for more advice on which wines, beers and other drinks I like for each and every occasion, take a look at last week’s Christmas drinks guide), but, sometimes, a drink deserves a place under the tree as well as around it – especially if it’s an easy win for a drinks devotee for whom you need to buy a prezzie.The Guardian’s journalism is independent
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes
Like nibblies, the concept of bringing a plate to a social event or a host’s home can be deeply confusing across cultures and generations. Are you carting canapes? Are you slinging salad? Are you delivering dessert? If we’ve learned anything from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it’s that communication is key. So if you’re unsure about what your host expects, just ask.Below are nine summer-friendly recipes to suit various bring-a-plate scenarios: one-bite snacks that go with cocktails, salads to bring to barbecues and make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, arranged in each category from easiest to most ambitious.And if time is seriously short, you could throw together a pleasingly arranged antipasto-ish plate comprised of Guardian Australia’s top supermarket taste test products: crackers, feta, salami and pickles
How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not
Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treatA jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too
Christmas food gifts: Gurdeep Loyal’s recipes for Mexican-spiced brittle and savoury pinwheels
Edible Christmas gifts are a great excuse to get experimental with global flavours. For spice lovers, this moreish Mexican brittle, which is inspired by salsa macha (a delicious chilli-crunch), is sweet, salty, smoky, crunchy and has hints of anise. Then, for savoury lovers, some cheesy pinwheel cookies enlivened with XO sauce. XO is a deeply umami condiment from Hong Kong made from dried seafood, salty ham, chilli and spices. Paired with tangy manchego, it adds a funky kick to these crumbly biscuits
Festive treats: Adriann Ramirez’s recipes for pumpkin loaf and gingerbread cookies
As a self-proclaimed America’s sweetheart (Julia Roberts isn’t using that title any more, is she?) who moved to the UK nearly 10 years ago, there are a few British traditions and customs that I have adopted, especially around Christmas time. However, there are also a few American ones that I hold on to staunchly: one is the pronunciation of “aluminum”, and another is the importance and beauty of a soft cookie. In both of these easy but delicious bakes to share, I use spice and heat to balance the usual sweetness with which the season can often overload us.Prep 5 min Chill 1 hr Cook 50 min, plus cooling Makes 10-12520g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 8g cocoa powder 8g ground ginger 3g ground cloves 5g ground cinnamon 3g aleppo pepper 4g coarsely ground black pepper 7g table salt 3g bicarbonate of soda 225g soft unsalted butter 175g caster sugar 1 large egg (60g) 77g treacle 77g pomegranate molasses 40g golden syrupFor the icing120g icing sugar 30g waterWhisk the first nine ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Either in the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter for a few minutes until light and creamy
Nutcracker stocking fillers: Brian Levy’s recipe for sugar plum and coffee cookies | The sweet spot
These festive cookies are inspired by The Nutcracker’s Land of Sweets sequence, in which coffee and sugar plums are two of the flavours used to conjure a fanciful world of decadent diversion. Anything from a hard candy to a candied fruit can qualify as a “sugar plum” and, in the case of these cookies, the sugar plum is represented by the amarena cherry. Coffee’s bitterness balances the sweetness of the fruit and the rich butteriness of the dough, while the oat flour adds a dash of shortbread-like delicateness.Prep 10 min Chill 30 min+ Cook 35 min, plus cooling Makes 36185g room-temperature butter75g sugar2 tsp instant coffee/espresso powder1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powderFinely grated zest of ½ lemon½ tsp vanilla extract⅛ tsp fine salt 180g plain flour 85g oat flour 36 amarena cherries in syrupTurbinado sugar, or pearl sugar or icing sugar, for dippingIn the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, coffee powder, cocoa, lemon zest, vanilla and salt, at first on low and then medium speed, until creamy and fluffy.Add both flours and beat just until combined with no dry flour remaining; don’t overbeat because this can toughen the texture
How to make the perfect Dubai chocolate bar - recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …
If you’re asking what on earth chocolate has to do with a city with an average annual temperature of 28C, then you must have been stuck in the desert for the past three years. Because, since its creation in the UAE in 2022, apparently to satisfy chocolatier Sarah Hamouda’s pregnancy cravings for pistachio and pastry, this bar has taken over the world. Though food (among those with the luxury of choice, at least) has never been immune to the absurdities of fashion, the internet has supercharged and globalised the process, so much so that pistachios, which back in January were dubbed “the new pumpkin spice” by this very newspaper, are now everywhere, from Starbucks lattes to Aldi mince pies.The thing is, however, that whatever your thoughts on green, sugary, coffee-adjacent beverages, Hamouda’s Dubai chocolate developed for Fix Dessert Chocolatier has triumphed, because it really does taste as good as it looks: crunchy pastry, sweet chocolate and rich, slightly savoury nut butter are an incredibly satisfying combination, so a big bar of it is guaranteed to impress under the Christmas tree. Experience demands that I suggest you wrap it in a pet-proof box, however – emergency vet bills are no one’s idea of a great present
The ultimate unsung superfood: 17 delicious ways with cabbage – from kimchi to pasta to peanut butter noodles
Over the last 50 years, cabbage consumption in Britain has declined 80%. But it’s versatile, full of vitamins, and perfect on a winter night. Here’s how to make the most of itIt’s not good news: despite a lot of messaging about healthy eating, Britons consume 12% less vegetables per week than they did in 1974, when the government’s Family Food survey began. And while the consumption of some specific vegetables – courgettes, say – has risen over the past 50 years, others have experienced a sharp decline. Among the biggest losers is cabbage
Christmas dinner in a restaurant or kitchen carnage at home?
Christmas dinner? At home or in a restaurant? It’s at this juncture of the year, with Christmas dinner hurtling towards us, that you may well find yourself muttering: “Well, we could always go out!” Who could blame any home cook for wanting to shove this great burden on to someone else’s back, especially since every culinary TV show, magazine article and advertising break since mid-November has hammered home what a colossal faff Christmas dinner actually is. No, it’s not just a slightly posh Sunday roast with a few more guests.Christmas dinner in the UK these days is more like a cross between dinner at Balmoral and 4 July at Mar-a-Lago. The table has to be heaving with holly-embossed crockery, the carrots must be bejewelled in star anise and Himalayan pink pepper, the turkey has to be brined in aromatic salt water and your roasties shaken in polenta and smothered in duck fat. If you’re the designated martyr organising proceedings, field-marshalling everything and cooking this tinsel-strewn palaver, it is common to try instead to divert it all to the local pub, where they’re doing “turkey and all the trimmings” for £79 a head (and including a cracker and a pre-dinner “glass of something sparkly”)
Jamie Oliver to relaunch Italian restaurant chain in UK six years after collapse
Jamie Oliver is to revive his Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain in the UK, more than six years after the celebrity chef’s brand collapsed.Jamie’s Italian is poised to be relaunched in the spring, starting with a restaurant in London’s Leicester Square.Oliver’s return to the UK restaurant scene is being backed by Brava Hospitality Group – the private equity-backed group that runs the Prezzo chain – which intends to relaunch the brand across the UK.“As a chef, having the chance to return to the high street is incredibly important to me,” he said. “I will drive the menus, make sure the sourcing is right, the staff training, and ensure the look and feel of the restaurant is brought to life in the right way
Maria Balshaw to step down as director of Tate after nine years
‘Astonishing’: how Stanley Baxter’s TV extravaganzas reached 20 million
Barbican to close its doors for a year for multimillion-pound renovation
Seth Meyers to Trump: ‘You can’t convince people the economy is good when they can see the truth’
Jimmy Kimmel on Trump: ‘What a child he is’
Jon Stewart on Fifa’s peace prize: ‘An entirely fictitious golden butt plug’
Joyful, irreverent, endlessly quotable: why Hunt for the Wilderpeople is the perfect holiday movie
The Guide #220: The best things we watched, read and listened to this year – that weren’t from 2025
A minimalist statement or just Pantonedeaf? ‘Cloud dancer’ shade of white named Pantone’s 2026 colour of the year
Jimmy Kimmel on Pete Hegseth, ‘our secretary of war crimes’
Jimmy Kimmel on the Trump administration: ‘They have better-quality cabinets at Ikea’
