The beauty of this meat loaf is that you can use regular sausage mince, or buy your favourite sausages and simply squeeze the mince from the skins. We love it with creamy mash and greens.

Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet Chinese barbecue sauce made from salted fermented soy beans, onions and garlic. It can be used as a marinade or a baste, or as a flavouring for stir-fried, braised or roasted foods. It’s found in all Asian food shops and most supermarkets. Note

None of are too grown-up for an ice-cream sundae. Especially ones that look as good as these.

The portobello mushroom is virtually a larger version of the swiss brown or cremini mushroom. Dense and hearty, it is a great variety to choose when making stuffed mushrooms. You can use swiss browns here but purchase the largest ones you can find.

Tender veal loin with baked figs and a rich port sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Delicious and impressively decorated cupcakes that resemble dazzling kaleidoscopes.

These simple mushroom tarts are bursting with flavour and make a great lunch when served with a ripe tomato salad.

Sweet, dense and nutty, this gorgeous banana, date and peanut loaf is wonderful enjoyed warm or cold with a slather of butter for a decadent morning tea.

Potato skins are an excellent source of fibre and vitamin B6. Note

This spectacular cake is topped with sweetened crème fraîche and candied beetroot chips.

Slow-cooked veal shin (the cut also known as osso buco) and earthy mushroom ragu are perfect winter comfort food, especially served on a bed of warm, creamy polenta.

Delicious and fresh Italian-style crostino of tomato and basil from Australian Women's Weekly.

Macarons can be challenging to make, but the results are worth it. Weigh your ingredients very carefully and sift the almond meal thoroughly, and these peppermint French macarons will be très bon!

A crunchy almond topping makes this delicious Christmas fruit cake different from the rest. Perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

The ganache can be made 2 days ahead; store in the refrigerator. When ready to use, beat with an electric mixer until it is of a spreadable consistency. Decorate the log with fresh cherries, if you like. Note

Wonton cups can be prepared a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. You need 3 x 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans. If you only have one pan, that is fine, just cook the wonton cases in batches. You could also serve the tuna tartare in a bowl with a pile of home-cooked prawn […]

Spoil the carrot cake lover with these scrumptious cupcakes topped with maple cream cheese icing.

Sandwiched with brandy butter cream, these stacked hazelnut and orange spice cookies make a stunning Christmas treat.

Get the kids busy in the kitchen with these delicious coconut, lime and pineapple cookies.

Just a few sheets of puff pastry, some mushrooms, bacon and egg are all you need to make up these fabulous parcels. A splash of good old worcestershire sauce and a sprinkle of chives completes the dish. It's so easy, it's almost embarrassing.

Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before serving Note

This dessert is pure bliss . Creamy orange custard with a quintessential toffee topping. Note

Topped with fresh spinach and dollops of horseradish cream, this easy salmon frittata is perfect for a busy, hungry cook.

These delicious chewy cranberry meringues, sometimes called cranberry chewies, make a delicate, pretty afternoon tea treat.

Inspired by delicious banoffee pie, this sweet little slice celebrates the match-made-in-heaven that is toffee and banana.

Can be made a day ahead up to step 2, and left covered in the fridge. Note

The crunchy cashew layer turns this simple loaf, into a spectacular sweet dessert or afternoon tea snack.

Finished with a drizzle of melted chocolate, these nutty meringue sticks are excellent served with coffee.

Pumpkin + cheese = heaven!

Drizzled in orange blossom icing, these dense almond and orange cakes are perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

Edible gift tag cookies are an adorable way to personalise your presents this Christmas - but perhaps wait until Christmas Day to attach them to your gifts.

Stay away from the pie shop with your own home-made chicken and fennel pies.

These tarts are the perfect expression of sumer. When cooked, the nectarines and apricots soften and slightly caramelise, becoming the perfect foil to the buttery crunch of the pastry and the nuts. Note

You can use pumpkin instead of the kumara. The beef mixture, without the coriander, is suitable to freeze. Add the coriander when reheating Note

Choux pastry mixture will come away from side of pan and form a ball Note

You can substitute the same weight of mandarins for the oranges. storage Cake will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note

These succulent salmon parcels with orange and soy are gently steamed as they cook.

Like a cocktail in a cake, this pineapple malibu cream cake makes a fabulous centrepiece for a special celebration. You can use well crushed fresh pineapple if you like.

Rich and lavish veal and tomato pies with gremolata from Australian Women's Weekly.

Named for it's shape, this roulade is a filled cake that has been rolled into dessert perfection!

We used a blackboard as a serving plate for this fun spaceship cake. Get the party goers to create their own universe using chalk.

Trim and position licorice bootlace to outline the windows. Position silver lollies between windows and around base; position one silver lolly on top of the flying saucer. Trim and position blue sour strings to outline base of flying saucer. Using picture as a guide, decorate flying saucer with remaining lollies. Sculpt the cake so it […]

The lasagne can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

Piping the dough in this way results in a delightfully curly result that looks dainty on the plate. Plus, there's the added element of citrusy surprise when you bite into the shortbread.

Replace fresh figs with stone fruit or berries. You can buy rolled rye at selected health food stores; replace it with rolled oats if you can’t find it. Store the muesli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months. Note

The salmon in these filo parcels will be cooked medium, slightly pink in the middle; increase or decrease the baking time depending on how you like yours cooked.

Healthy, colourful and vibrant; this roast beef and vegetable salad is a great quick dish.

Mint Slice is a biscuit with a light, crisp chocolate biscuit base, a thick layer of mint cream and a smooth coating of dark chocolate. Note

Store swirls in an airtight container for up to a week. Note

Spiced honey muffins with chocolate chunks are topped with whipped cream and toffee bar shards in this decadent recipe.

A classic afternoon tea cake, this cherry almond cake is dense, fruity and utterly delicious.

You will need, Oven tray large piping bag fitted with 1cm (½-inch) plain tube. 8cm x 26cm (3¼-inch x 10½-inch) bar cake pan 20cm (8-inch) ring pan 30cm x 45cm (12-inch x 18-inch) rectangular prepared cake board Note

6-hole (¾-cup/180ml) texas muffin pan 12-hole (¹/³-cup/80ml) standard muffin pan 12-hole (2-tablespoons/40ml) deep flat-based patty pan 3 texas muffin paper cases (blue) 6 standard paper cases (blue) 35cm-square prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) decorations ¼ cup (40g) icing sugar 100g ready-made white icing (page 180) You’ll have about 1 cup […]

These teacakes are best eaten the day they are made. Note

Always use full-cream rather than light or skim milk for a quiche or savoury pie filling. Substitute speck for the ham and use a Swiss cheese in place of cheddar, if desired. Note

You can use any seed mix you like with this recipe, poppy and sesame seeds work beautifully too.

A trick to cutting turkish delight is to place it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up, then cut it with an oiled knife, making sure to oil the knife regularly. You need a 6cm (2½-inch) fluted square cutter, or alternatively use a 7cm (2¾ inch) fluted round cutter. Note

Ensure the safety pins are removed before serving cake. Assemble cakes then, using image as a reference, cut out cake. Use a toothpick to mark out Joe’s features on cake. To make facial stubble, use toothpicks dipped in black colouring. Note

Decorate cake pops on the day of serving. Note

All the ingredients for this pizza can be picked up from your local delicatessen, making it the ultimate in tasty convenient cooking.

You could use mixed char-grilled vegetables from a delicatessen instead of the bottled variety. This recipe is best made just before serving, it’s not suitable to freeze as the mushrooms will become tough and rubbery. Note

These caramel macadamia bars are a definite luxury item. Sprinkled with icing sugar, they are a most delicious treat.

If using frozen raspberries, don’t thaw them, as the colour will run. Granny smith or golden delicious apples are both good varieties to use in this recipe. Note

Rich and tender neck chop and lentil stew with a bright and fluffy kumara and carrot mash.

These miniature wedding cakes would make a lovely gift to hand around to friends at a bridal shower or engagement party.

Keeping time: 3 days. Note

Asparagus and melted brie make a delicious pair in this easy dish.

To make butterfly cakes, a variation of fairy cakes, cut the circle of cut-out cake in half, replace on the cream like wings. Decorate with silver cachous. Note

To keep the glossy finish to the frosting, the cake needs to be frosted up to an hour before the party. The frosting soon dries out to resemble cooked meringue. Note

This classic Italian pasta dish of pork ragu with pappardelle is complimented beautifully with fresh fennel to create a warming Winter dish for the whole family.

This tart will keep well, removed from the tin and covered, in the refrigerator for several days. Serve tart at room temperature This pastry is very easy and good for any savoury tart, but you can also use thawed ready-rolled pastry sheets, joined with a little egg yolk. Note

Chewy, rich and gorgeously lush, these fudgy chocolate, cherry and coconut cookies are perfect served with a strong cup of coffee.

Top this dense white chocolate mud cake with a smooth, sweet ganache for the ultimate cake treat!

A classic Italian dish popularised in New York by Italian immigrants.

Cover puddings halfway through cooking if the tops are becoming too brown. Note

You can use pretty much any combination of nuts and glacé fruits for the florentines as long you substitute weight for weight. Note

A delicious and flavourful Italian sausage and three-cheese lasagne.

This dense chocolate cake is filled with orange zest, chopped walnuts and almonds. A delicious sweet treat for an afternoon tea.

In China, dragons traditionally symbolise good luck, which, along with this dragon, is a pretty nice gift to give as a birthday present.

You need about two medium carrots to get enough grated carrot for this recipe. Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases in pan. Sift the icing sugar into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the butter and enough orange juice to make a firm paste. Put bowl of icing mixture over a saucepan of simmering […]

You need to cook 1½ cups (300g) white long-grain rice the day before making this recipe. Spread cooled cooked rice on a tray, cover, refrigerate overnight. Note

To prevent icing from becoming too thick, keep it over a bowl of warm water. Prepared sponge cake can be used instead of the Madeira cake. Alternatively, you can use your favourite buttercake recipe ­ it is best made the day before making the lamingtons. Note