Christmas is the one time of year when we don't have to feel guilty for stuffing our faces with sweet treats. But for Martha Swift, co-founder and now sole owner of Primrose Bakery, which she set up more than a decade ago, sugary indulgence takes place every single day.

"I have a very sweet tooth," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "Perhaps it's no surprise I ended up starting Primrose Bakery, being able to make and try cupcakes, cakes, biscuits and many other things all day long.

"Around Christmas, my shops are decorated with lots of festive decorations, both edible and non-edible, including our cute, decorated gingerbread sausage dogs, in honour of my sausage dog Charlie, who's sort of the bakery mascot and pops up in our shops and books."

Swift's new book - the bakery's fourth publication - is bursting with delicious eats for the festive season. From sickly sweet but uber-tempting cupcakes, to delicious desserts and showstoppers Mary Berry would be proud of.

"It was a pleasure to write Primrose Bakery Christmas," says the 45-year-old mum of two. "I hope the recipes are both pleasurable and straightforward to make at home, and also for all of us at the bakery, to make and sell in the two shops. There's always a great atmosphere in the lead up to Christmas, and everyone seems a little bit more excited and happy than usual.

"I'm not a huge lover of the classic Christmas desserts, but I really love chocolate, so my Christmas Day always features a lot! I'll be making a Dark Chocolate And Fresh Mint Truffle Tart for my mum and I, and then perhaps the Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies for my two daughters," she adds.

"In honour of the clementines that were always in the toe of my Christmas stocking, the Clementine Cake With Greek Yoghurt Icing would make a delicious dessert for a pre-Christmas dinner party.

"All I can say is hurry up Christmas, so I can start making and eating all these things!"

Tempted? Here are three Primrose Bakery Christmas recipes for you to whip up at home...

:: CHRISTMAS PUDDING RUM BALLS

(Makes 12-18 balls, depending upon their size)

200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces

175ml double cream

5tbsp rum

Cocoa, finely crushed nuts, or sprinkles, to finish

Sugar holly decorations or real holly, to decorate

Cover a baking tray tightly with two layers of cling film.

Tip the chocolate into a bowl. Put the cream in a pan and bring to the boil, but only just, then pour over the chocolate and stir until it has melted. Add the rum and mix it in. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature until set.

Using a melon baller or teaspoon, divide the mixture into 12 portions. Dust your hands with icing sugar, to stop the mixture sticking, and roll the pieces into balls. Roll them in the sifted cocoa, crushed nuts or sprinkles and place them on the prepared tray.

Decorate the rum balls with holly sugar decorations, or real holly, if you wish.

TIP: To make a non-alcoholic version, the rum can be substituted with one to two teaspoons of vanilla, peppermint, coconut or orange extract. If you do this, make sure you increase the amount of double cream to make up for the liquid you have lost by not using the rum.

GIFT IT: Package these carefully, not allowing them to touch each other - or anything else - too much, and eat soon after preparing and giving. Store any uneaten rum balls in the fridge.

:: SALTED CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

(Makes one 25cm cake, serving up to 20)

For the caramelised pecans:

20 pecan nut halves

100g white granulated sugar

For the salted caramel sauce:

110g granulated sugar

3tbsp water

125ml double cream

1tsp fleur de sel (a type of sea salt, available from Ocado)

For the Cheesecake base:

300g Rich Tea biscuits

150g unsalted butter, melted

10 caramelised pecans

For the Cheesecake filling:

600ml boiling water

550g cream cheese, softened

200g golden caster sugar

2 eggs

1tsp vanilla extract

80g butter, melted

150ml sour cream

First make the caramelised pecans.

Place the pecans close together on a lined baking tray and set aside. Gently heat the sugar in a heavy-based pan on the hob, until the sugar has melted and is a pale golden colour. Pour the melted sugar over the pecans, covering them completely. Leave to cool.

Now make the caramel sauce. Note: This is a very hot liquid, so please be careful when making it.

Put the sugar and water in a clean, medium pan. Place it over a medium heat on the hob. Do not stir as this will cause the sugar syrup to crystallise. Swirl the pan occasionally and gently until all the sugar has dissolved. Then turn the heat up to high and let the syrup boil until it becomes a lovely caramel colour.

While the sugar syrup is boiling, pour the cream into a separate pan and add the fleur de sel. Heat gently for about a minute, to take the chill off it, and then remove from the heat. Do not allow it to boil.

Once the sugar syrup is off the heat, immediately add a small portion of the warmed cream. Stir quickly with a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Be careful when adding the cream, as it will bubble up and rise very quickly, let off a lot of hot steam and may splutter.

Add the remainder of the cream in small amounts. Keep stirring while the cream is being added. Pour the sauce into a bowl and set it aside to cool.

To make the base, grease a 25cm, ideally springform, cake tin and line with parchment paper.

Place the biscuits and caramelised pecans into a food processor and pulse until they resemble breadcrumbs. Place in a large bowl, then pour in the melted butter and mix until it is thoroughly combined.

Press this mixture evenly into the base of the tin. Put it into the fridge to set while you prepare the filling.

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 3.

Pour 600ml of boiling water into a roasting tin and place it on the bottom rack of the oven.

Put the cream cheese and sugar into a bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat until smooth and well combined. Add the eggs, vanilla, melted butter and sour cream, and mix until all the ingredients are combined.

To assemble the cheesecake, pour the filling on top of the chilled base in the cake tin and spread it out evenly with a spatula.

Drizzle three tablespoons of salted caramel sauce on top of the filling.

Using a skewer, gently swirl the sauce into the filling to create a marbled effect.

Place the tin on the middle rack of the oven, above the pan of hot water. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the pan of hot water from the oven.

Turn the heat down to 150C/130C fan/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 30-40 minutes, or until the top is set, light golden brown in colour and an inserted skewer comes out clean. If the cheesecake starts to brown before it has set, cover it with foil to prevent further browning.

Once you have removed the cheesecake from the oven, let it cool in the tin. Then put it into the fridge to chill, preferably overnight.

To serve, drizzle some more of the salted caramel sauce on top. Roughly chop the rest of the caramelised pecans and sprinkle them all over the cheesecake.

:: CLEMENTINE CAKE WITH GREEK YOGHURT ICING

(Makes one 20cm cake, serving 10-12)

3-4 clementines, thinly sliced (peel on), ends removed and retained for the glaze

230g unsalted butter, at room temperature

115g golden caster sugar

115g light brown sugar

3 large eggs

Zest of 3 clementines (the juice and flesh will be used to make the glaze)

350g self-raising flour

Pinch of ground cloves

115g Greek yoghurt

For the glaze:

Juice and flesh of the zested clementines

Ends of sliced clementines

200g granulated sugar

100ml water

For the Greek Yoghurt Icing:

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature

400g icing sugar, sifted

80g Greek yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Grease a deep 20cm baking tin and line with parchment paper.

Line the sides of the tin with the thinly sliced clementines.

Cream the butter and sugars together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, ensuring each one is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next.

Add the zest of the clementines, the flour and ground cloves, and beat until combined. Pour in the yoghurt and mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the tin and push it out to the edges to ensure the clementines stay upright. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Once cooked, remove the cake from the tin, pierce several times with a skewer and set aside.

To make the glaze, juice the three clementines and roughly chop them. Place in a pan along with the ends of the sliced clementines. Mash with a wooden spoon to get all the juice out of them, then add the sugar and water. Heat until boiling and the liquid has reduced to a thick syrup consistency.

Remove from the heat and strain the syrup into a bowl, using a sieve to catch the pulp. Leave to cool.

Once the syrup and cake are cool, use a pastry brush to cover the cake (including the sides) with the glaze, until it has all been absorbed by the sponge, keeping some back for decorating.

To make the icing, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and yoghurt and beat until smooth.

Place the cake on a plate or cake board and spread the icing all over the top. Finish with the rest of the glaze, drizzled all over.

:: Primrose Bakery Christmas by Martha Swift is published by Square Peg, priced £20. Available now

THREE OF THE BEST... Christmas extras

:: LSA International Lotta Cheese/Pastries Dome, £85 (www.sizzle.co.uk)

Serve up the cheese in style this Christmas with this beautiful glass dome on an ash wood base.

:: Ocado Organic Small Veg Box, £12 (www.ocado.com)

Don't put yourself through the stress of whizzing up and down the supermarket veg aisle, desperately trying to hunt down the already sold out sprouts. Order this organic box, containing eight varieties, and tick it off your list.

:: Taylor's Eye Witness Reflex Knife Block, £45 (www.lakeland.co.uk)

With all that chopping to do for Christmas dinner, you'll need some sharp knives to get the job done quickly. These bright blades should do nicely.