Heads swivel, a chorus of ‘oohs’ rises from behind computer screens and fists grab for chunks of that angel-light dough. And, while Excitable Edgar from the John Lewis advert might be championing the Christmas pudding, the numbers confirm we are turning away from tradition in our droves.

At Selfridges, panettone outsells the classic pud by two to one. The yeast-leavened Italian cake might have been around since the 15th century, but only in recent years has it been truly embraced in the UK. Perhaps it’s because, as tastes change, we’d prefer something airy rather than dense post-turkey – the kind of cake you can slice up and eat with a cup of tea and Gavin And Stacey without falling into an instant food coma. Whatever the reason, panettone has cemented its place in our hearts and is now as much a part of the modern festive spread as a tin of Quality Street.

Alternative Christmas food inspiration, from pasta to panettone