If you've ever followed a recipe that mentions suet or lard, you might have wondered what the difference is between the two. You may have even asked yourself what the heck suet is in the first place.

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Unctuous and chock-full of seeds, suet cakes are the ultimate winter comfort food for birds. Like a hearty stew is for us on snowy days ...

Rarely available in its natural form, suet is mixed with flour and sold in supermarkets in cream-coloured blocks. A vegetarian suet made from palm oil and rice flour is also available, but it ...

To make the suet pastry, put the flour in a large bowl and stir in the suet, parsley and salt. Stir in enough water to make a soft, spongy dough - you'll probably need around 250ml/9fl oz.