Dessert

Not only are they incredibly quick and easy to put together, but caramelised oranges with ice-cream are sweet, sharp and boozy.

We used amaretto in this recipe, but you can use any almond-flavoured liqueur you like. Note

Rich, moist little orange cakes are finished beautifully with a drizzle of hot orange syrup.

Sparkling wine and fresh peaches are combined to make this decadent summer dessert.

This cake is almost a cross between a mousse and a fallen soufflé. It’s a wonderfully impressive cake to present for dessert or with tea and coffee.

Green tea powder is available from Asian food stores. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, pour custard into shallow container and cover with foil, freeze until almost firm. Place ice-cream in large bowl, chop coarsely then beat with electric mixer until smooth. Pour into deep container, cover, freeze until firm. Repeat process twice more. […]

Candy and brittle of all kinds make excellent gifts, or treats to have on hand during holiday seasons.

Turn your favorite Italian restaurant treat into a spectacular cake.

Serve thick wedges of this traditional pudding with custard or cream.

Use an accurate candy thermometer for perfect results. They are available at selected department stores or online. Note

You will need about six passionfruit to make this recipe. The thin-skinned purple-black variety will yield much more pulp than the thicker-skinned Panama passionfruit. Note

equipment 5cm (2-inch) square cutter 4 paper piping bags small stencils (see tips) small offset metal spatula 16 plain coloured paper cases 30cm (12-inch) square wooden cake board (page 208) Square paper cases are available in specialty food or kitchen shops, but we found round cases happily change shape to accommodate the square cakes. The […]

A lovely strudel is delicious, easy to make, and relatively inexpensive. You can also experiment with different fillings. We've gone with basic apricot here, but all sorts of fruits and nuts make an equally yummy filling.

If chocolate is not quite melted, return to saucepan and stir over low heat until melted. Note

Healthy and delicious banana ice-blocks

Your guests will be trumpeting praise when they see this cute elephant cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook on the party spread.

Ginger and caramel go together beautifully in this ultimate winter dessert, especially when teamed with decadent calvados custard.

This dense banana loaf is even more delicious when sliced and served with a drizzle of honey and sliced fresh bananas.

Attach pattern to cake using toothpicks before cutting out cake. Note

In this delicious recipe, chocolate and cinnamon cupcakes are topped with a swirl of cream cheese frosting sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Both Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples are suitable for this recipe. Note

Pastry cases can be made 3 days ahead; store in airtight container. Note

You could fill the cones with scoops of ice-cream instead of the cupcakes just before serving. Tint the frosting a colour to match your party theme. Note

These gently poached quinces and pears are soft and juicy and sweet. They are complimented wonderfully by the crispy almond crumble. If you like, you could serve them with whipped cream.

Some nights warrant pulling out all the stops, and these chocolate and hazelnut pavlova with berries, cream and chocolate sauce have it all.

You can also use peaches, apricots or plums instead of nectarines. Keep any leftover poaching liquid to poach other fruit; or simmer the liquid until it's reduced and syrupy, stir in 1 tablespoon orange-flavoured liqueur then pour over ice cream.

These crunchy Italian biscuits go wonderfully with hot espresso coffee.

This simple yet delicious blueberry loaf is perfect for a morning or afternoon snack with a steaming hot cup of tea.

If you would like to make your own delicious pastry cases, see the recipe for pastry in blueberry apple crumbles. Note

Make the most of summer cherries with this cooling dessert.

equipment 20cm x 30cm lamington pan 20cm x 50cm prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) decorations 165g packet mini musks Piping takes a little practice. You might find it easier to do the piping, numbering and lettering before using a spatula to position the cakes on the board. Note

Make someone's special day even more special with this triple-layered beauty.

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Leave the nuts and berries out of this recipe if you just want a plain Blondie. Dust the slice with a little sifted icing sugar, if you like. Note

Pink grapefruit syrup turns these delectable little lemon cakes into something rather special.

The frangipane flower and this frangipane tart have absolutely nothing to do with each other, despite the name. Although both look absolutely stunning and will fill your house with the most delightful aroma.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this decadent triple-layered slice.

Break up a few tablespoons of the frozen yoghurt and raspberry swirl with a fork for your toddler. Note

We used Cointreau, but you can use your favourite citrus-flavoured liqueur. Use orange juice instead of the liqueur, if you like. Note

This fun children's cake is great for the little ones that love playing with trains and automobiles. They'll love the taste and look of this tasty dessert!

When in season, use one large fresh mango weighing about 600g (1¼ pounds). Peel mango over a small bowl to catch as much juice as possible; cut off mango cheeks, then slice thinly. Squeeze as much juice as you can from around the seed into the same bowl, add enough cold water to make 1 […]

Delight your family and friends with these miniature crumble pies, best served with a dollop of fresh cream.

Topped with a crunchy pastry lid sprinkled with cinnamon and flaked almonds, this juicy apple and berry pie makes a luscious ending to a family meal.

Store in an airtight container for up to two days. Note

The cake and ice- cream cones can be prepared one day before the party. The frosting is best spread over the cake about an hour before serving. The frosting will lose its gloss after an hour or so. Note

Leaving a 1cm (½ inch) border of sponge without cream will make the icing of the sides of the slice easier to do. The weight of the top layer of sponge will push the cream far enough. Note

This cousin to the apple is always eaten cooked, as it is too hard and acidic to be enjoyed raw. It takes a long time to cook, but its glorious scent and lovely musky flavour are worth it. Its flesh is cream when raw, but turns a deep rosy pink as it is cooked.

Stir the cooled cocoa and water mixture into the cake batter. Spread the cake mixture into the greased and lined cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth the top. Note

This zingy, refreshing sorbet is fantastic served after a spicy meal.

For bold icing colours, we used powdered food colourings, available from cake decorating shops and some health food stores. Mixing the powder with a small amount of hot water, before stirring into the icing, gives a better result; liquid colourings can be used for pale colours. Note

Who could resist the tropical turtle with her yummy chocolate shell? Note

This is wonderful served with a dollop of yoghurt and some fresh raspberries.

Bite sized with a little kick and a lot of chocolate, this recipe is pure dessert perfection!

A citrus-flavoured liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, can be substituted for the coconut liqueur, if you prefer. Note

You need to start the recipe the day before. Note

Plump with fruit, this traditional cake is wonderful served with a pot of hot tea.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a thick slice of this moist apple and apricot loaf.

These colourful cupcakes are perfect for a birthday party and will delight both the kids and adults.

This rich, custardy bread and butter pudding is both light, thanks to the flaky croissants, and rich with chocolate and Irish cream. Serve with a dollop of cream or ice-cream.

Two 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular cake pans 35cm x 40cm (14-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board toothpicks. Position paper pattern on cake, cut out butterfly using a sharp knife. Use toothpicks to transfer butterfly markings from paper pattern onto the cake. Spread different coloured butter creams on butterfly markings. The butterfly is […]

Serve warm with pouring cream or ice-cream if desired. Pudding can be prepared severa hours ahead. Keep refrigerated and bake as required. Note

Tossed in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with maple syrup, these dreamy ricotta fritters are a casual yet sophisticated dessert.

Simple and elegant, these dainty little cupcakes are a delicious treat to share for dessert or a special afternoon tea.

Treacle is a sweet and richly flavoured syrup which is perfect for making moist baked goods; especially tarts!

It’s important to measure the cake mixture carefully, so the cakes are all the same depth. Make the full amount of mixture; it will be fine standing at room temperature while you bake the cakes in batches. We used standard sized foil cases and scrapbooking decorations, available from craft and shops. Note

Layers of sponge cake and vanilla ice-cream topped with a fresh rhubarb compote makes this vanilla and rhubarb slice a wonderful summer dessert.

This fruit cake is suitable for many allergy diets, as it does not contain wheaten flour, eggs, milk or butter; the only sugar is in the fruit.

The parfait can also be made in a 10.5cm x 23.5cm (4-inch x 9½-inch) terrine or loaf pan; grease, then line the base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper over two long sides. serving suggestion Serve with extra raspberries and cherries. You will need to start this recipe a day ahead. Note

These muffins are delicious without the orange sauce. However, the rich buttery sauce transforms them into a dessert for grown-ups. Grand Marnier (or brandy) is the best liqueur to use. Remember to grate the rind of the oranges before you juice them. If the muffins need re-heating, 20 or 30 seconds in a microwave oven […]

EQUIPMENT deep 26cm x 36cm (10½-inch x 14½-inch) baking dish 45cm x 50cm (17-inch x 18-inch) rectangular cake board small paper piping bag. DECORATIONS silver cardboard, for buckle; 1 black licorice strap; 100g (3 ounces) white chocolate Melts; coloured sprinkles. With magic and mayhem being all the rage these days, there are sure to be […]

Buy 200g (6½ ounces) muscatels for these cakes, use one-third in the cake mixture and the rest for decorating. Note

These beautiful and blushing soufflés are dead easy to make. Just remember to whip up your egg white well, and serve them straight from the oven to the table.

This delicious and impressive looking mandarin upside-down cake is a little tricky to make but is oh so worth it. Better still it is gluten-free so everyone can enjoy it. Use a microplane to zest the fruit for best results.

Encased in crisp puff pastry, this beautiful berry sponge slice makes a delightful sweet treat with tea or coffee.

These elegant desserts are perfect for the silly season.

A spiced apple and prune filling is sandwiched between buttery shortcrust pastry in this easy, delicious slice.

Just a few extra ingredients and about half an hour in the kitchen and you can turn regular chocolate ice-cream into a delicious and very sophisticated dessert.

You will need to grate about 3 carrots for this recipe. Use the grating blade of the processor if desired. Note

This French caramelised apple tart is delicious with a dollop of whipped cream or melting ice-cream.

Layers of chocolate cake, meringue, strawberries and cream make this gateau the perfect dessert for a very special celebration.