This decadent chocolate coffee cake layered with vanilla mascarpone cream piled high with sweet syrupy marsala-soaked dates is almost too beautiful to eat. Almost.

If buying prawns in the shell, you will need to buy about 185g uncooked prawns. Note

Although associated with America, the shortcake in fact originated in England and Europe. In England it was known as shortbread, until that name came to be used exclusively for the New Year Scottish shortbreads. Shortcake can be made a week ahead, assemble just before serving. Store covered, in refrigerator freeze shortcake suitable microwave jam suitable. […]

You can use any flavoured jam you have on hand. Note

A delicious traditional treat.

Line quiche pans one at a time. Keep the remaining pastry sheet covered with a damp clean tea towel, to stop it drying out while lining the first quiche pan. Note

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

It’s important to not grease the tube pan, the cake mixture needs to cling to the pan as it rises during the baking process. Tube pans are large smooth-sided ring pans with small “feet” to support the inverted pan while the cake cools. If the cake doesn’t drop from the pan when it becomes cold, […]

Variation; for an orange blossom and mint tea syrup cake, omit the french earl grey tea in the cake and instead add 1 tablespoon orange blossom water with the lemon juice in step 3. Omit the earl grey syrup and instead make ‘orange blossom and mint tea syrup’. Serve the cake drizzled with syrup. Note

For this recipe we used small (15cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

Equipment Deep 15cm (6-inch) round cake pan Deep 23cm (9¼-inch) square cake pan 15cm (6-inch) round prepared cake board 30cm (12-inch) square prepared cake board 2 medium piping bags fitted with medium plain tubes Tracing wheel 3 bamboo skewers Use any leftover butter cake mix to make cupcakes. The decorated cake can be completed two […]

If you don’t have an 11cm round cutter, simply use a saucer or bowl instead. Add an icing bow to the ear for a girly elephant or use a pretty ribbon. If using butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting, you will need one quantity of butter cream. You need 1 sponge cake round and […]

A quick and easy Italian-style pizza with roast garlic and crispy potato.

This cake is good for a younger child’s birthday. Use any colours you like. Equipment 32cm (13-inch) square wooden cake board 18cm (7-inch) square wooden cake board Smoothing tools 4 wooden skewers Paper piping bag Tape measure Plastic ruler Pizza cutter Fine artist’s paint brush 5cm (2-inch) round cutter 4cm (1½-inch) round cutter 2cm (¾-inch) […]

With a rich, tomato-based vegetarian filling and a bubbly, golden cheese topping , these buttermilk potato pancake rolls are our delicious take on Italian cannelloni.

Ratatouille can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. It is great on its own, or served with pasta. In a Provencale dialect, touiller means to stir and crush, thus the name ratatouille perfectly describes this rich vegetable stew. Note

Sun-dried tomato pesto can also be used. Note

Macaroons are available from specialty bakery shops and select supermarkets. We used ganache to cover the cake as it will set and hold the macaroons in place. We bought 15 packets of macaroons to get the 30 pink, 6 brown, 19 vanilla and 18 light brown colours used in this cake. To save money, use […]

This recipe would also be delicious using cauliflower instead of broccoli, or a mixture of both. Note

The pasta cases can be made, cooled and removed from the pans one day before the party. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The bolognese sauce can be made two days ahead; keep it covered in the fridge. Assemble the baskets up to 3 hours before the party. Note

The cake and persimmons can be made a day ahead. Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature; store persimmons in an airtight container in the fridge. Note

A colourful salad of crispy roasted vegetables and grill haloumi salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

storage Friands will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days, or in the freezer (without frosting) for 2 months. Note

Use a serrated knife to cut the cakes. These cakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for four weeks; the toffee will soften after a few days, depending on the weather. Note

This moist cake can be eaten warm or cold. Note

A bright and colourful roasted cherry tomatoes, broccolini and pepitas salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Store-bought sponge cakes can also be used in this recipe. Note

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Note

You will need about 1 ½ bunches of rhubarb for this recipe. While the cake is baking, turn it every 20 minutes for even browning. Subsitutes; chia seeds are one of the highest occurring plant sources for omega-3 and are available from supermarkets. If you prefer, you can omit them from the recipe or use […]

Delicate and beautiful sweet violet cakes for sharing with family and friends.

To ground walnuts, blend or process until fine. Note

Salmon can be wrapped in baking paper several hours ahead; bake close to serving. Note

Sausage rolls can be made and frozen in advance. Allow an extra 10 minutes when baking from frozen. Middle-Eastern spice blend is available from supermarkets. Substitute with 1 tablespoon each ground cumin and coriander mixed with 1/2 teaspoon each ground turmeric and cardamom. Note

An Italian lemon-flavoured liqueur, limoncello was originally made from the juice and peel of lemons grown along the coast of Amalfi. You can substitute it in this recipe, if you wish, with any lemon-flavoured liqueur or with an orange-flavoured one such as Cointreau. You need approximately five lemons for this recipe. Note

We used 42 green jelly beans to outline the head of the octopus. Stand cake mixture at room temperature while you bake the cakes in batches. You will have 1 cup of cake mixture left over, enough for another 24 mini cakes. You could add these to the cake to make longer tentacles. Note

Crispy and flavour-packed roasted garlic, lemon and oregano chicken and potato wedges.

These spicy roasted chickens are great for sharing with friends and family.

frittata can be cooked on top of the stove, in a medium lightly oiled slightlysided frying pan, cook on low heat, uncovered, until almost set, then brown frittata under a preheated grill Frittata can be served hot or cold Note

You need to buy 2 packets of lattice biscuits for this recipe. The slice will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Note

Bacon option; place a halved cooked bacon rasher on top of heated beans and continue layering as above. Note

A rich and sweet Turkish pastry held together with dark chocolate, pistachios, walnuts and honey syrup.

Bake one cake at a time, unless you have access to two savarin pans. Have the sprinkles close by for decorating, as this icing sets rapidly after it has been warmed. If you’re not happy with the icing, leave it to set completely, then snap or lift off any ugly pieces on the cake or […]

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. Fontina is an Italian cows-milk cheese that has a smooth but firm texture and a mild, nutty flavour. Mozzarella can be substituted for the fontina. Note

You can use jelly beans or rainbow straps to decorate the fish. If using butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting, you will need one quantity of butter cream. Note

Tender lamb forequarter stuffed full of exquisite Mediterranean flavours.

We used chicken breast mince in this recipe. Note

It is important to steam, not boil, the pumpkin and kumara, to prevent vegetables becoming watery. Chop vegetables the same size so they cook evenly. Note

Hidden inside each of these mocha meringues is a whole hazelnut for a delightful surprise.

Decorated with whipped milk chocolate ganache, Maltesers and edible glitter, these sweet cupcakes will impress chocolate lovers of all ages.

The baking paper strips are used to help remove the cheesecake from the steamer once it’s been refrigerated overnight. Place the steamer upside down on a serving plate, gently pull on the paper strips and the cheesecake will ease away from the side of the steamer. Note

Early season imperial mandarins have a lovely aromatic rind, however, as they have a loose skin, a microplane grater is the best tool to use. You could substitute lemon or orange rind. Note

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

Dark Melts and butter can be melted together over hot water or in a microwave oven on HIGH (100%) for about 1 minute. This recipe makes 17 chocolate spider bodies, however, the decorations are for the seven spiders on the cake. Serve the extras as an accompaniment or, if you have extra Melts and Nestlé […]

Cake pops will keep for up to a week. Note

A 30cm glass stand was used for this cake, but a prepared 30cm round board can be used instead. Fruit can be varied, depending on season and availability. Note