What's in season in August

August is one of my favourite times of year to cook with British produce. There's plenty of juicy stone fruit to get your teeth into, like fragrant apricots and the sweetest King Cherries – both perfect in this summery stone fruit salad with pistachio and sesame brittle from the M&S Food Team. Alongside raspberries and plump Victoria blackberries, there's also a bounty of green beans, M&S’ Jumbo Spring Onions and more courgettes than I know what to do with. Here are just a few of my favourites, which will be in abundance in the M&S Foodhall this month.

Sweet and fragrant, with a velvety skin, British apricots are fantastic at this time of year. For a simple, comforting dessert, try roasting them with a little sugar and lemon juice until soft, sweet and caramelised, then enjoy on top of custardy rice pudding. If you’re entertaining this August bank holiday, make this impressive apricot and honey custard tart or roasted apricot and coconut Victoria sponge – both show-stopping summer desserts from the M&S Food Team.

A versatile veg, courgettes can be roasted or sautéed, grated into cakes or ribboned into salads and eaten raw. Try adding them to my midweek one-tray spiced veggie and chickpea bake. Feel free to switch up the veg in this recipe; in-season carrots, aubergines and potatoes would all work well. Use a vegetable peeler to shave them into ribbons in this courgette ribbon salad or grate them into these kid-friendly, picnic-perfect courgette and halloumi muffins from the M&S Food Team.