SARAH RAINEY BAKES

For those days when you just need some good, old-fashioned comfort food, it's hard to beat a stodgy, spongey lemon pudding. The sort your Grandma just to make, to cheer you up and put a smile on your face for the rest of the week. Self-saucing, which means it has a gooey underneath that keeps the sponge nice and moist, this pud is a failsafe favourite - and still tastes good the next day, and the day after that, paired with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. If you don't like lemo

This comforting, fruity pud reminds me of my childhood: something warm and stodgy to tuck into on a chilly evening, preferably drenched in homemade custard. It really brings to life the idea of food as therapy - there’s no bad day a dish like this can’t cure. Upside-down desserts may sound a bit retro but they’re making a comeback - trust me - and they’re strangely satisfying to make, arranging the pieces of fruit on the base of the tray in a symmetrical jigsaw. Once you tip