Dessert

Top the cake with cachous or chocolate sprinkles instead of the curls, if you prefer. Note

Try substituting hazelnut meal for the almonds, and use vanilla instead of almond essence. Note

This cake can be made two days ahead. Note

Mint and orange combine to flavour this amazing glazed tropical fruit salad. If you like, serve with a dollop of creamy coconut ice-cream for an indulgent summer treat.

Using lime curd for the filling of this tangy tart means you only have to bake the pie case, the rest is just a matter of setting.

Watermelon and mint granita, a semi-frozen dessert originating from Sicily.

You can drizzle each fig with a little vincotto or aged balsamic vinegar before grilling to add a piquancy to the finished dish.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a slice of this deliciously moist chocolate and hazelnut roll filled with coffee cream.

This cake takes a bit more effort and time than the usual – but it is a celebration cake! It is decadent, rich and dense – and also enormous, so the leftovers will help keep the party going!

This is an extraordinary cake, perfect for a special occasion dessert or afternoon-tea. The crisp toffee shards, moist little apple cakes and maple frosting make an exquisite combination.

These cupcakes are definitely the cutest way to eat a delicious lamington.

These honeycomb cream cupcakes are a proper indulgence, a moist, spiced cupcake topped with whipped cream and shattered Violet Crumble bars.

These chocolate ginger mud cakes with their gorgeous gum nut decorations are easier to make than you'd think. Perfect when the occasion calls for a bit of stylish Australiana.

Fig and chocolate studded cupcakes spread with chocolate ganache and topped with fresh figs and toffee crowns make a pretty spectacular treat.

These rich and boozy dark chocolate truffles are rudely rich and delicious. They make a perfect after dinner treat, just for when you thought you couldn't eat another bite.

It is fine to use one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

For an elegant Christmas dessert, try this cheat's ice-cream terrine served with fresh berries. For a more layered look, you could use two different flavours of ice-cream.

This decadent almond crunch is a stunning accompaniment to hot espresso.

Richly spiced, the combination of brown sugar, golden syrup and buttermilk makes this ginger cake moist and delicious.

Use un-iced, unfilled plain biscuits for this recipe. Note

Swimming in a sea of blue jelly, this cheeky jellyfish will delight the kids.

You can use just one 300ml carton of thickened cream for this recipe. Whoopie pies are best eaten the day they are made. Note

This cake is sublime served warm with thick, fresh cream.

You can serve this delectable cherry and white chocolate ice-cream already sliced and in bowls, or bring to the table still whole and studded with sparklers.

We all love a bit of yin and yang in our lives, and our cooking. Sure, caramel isn't the healthiest thing on earth, but accompanied with these fruit skewers the result is absolutely irresistible.

The hardest part of making this cake is making the butter cream smooth on the sides of the petals where the cake has been cut. If you freeze the cut cake pieces for an hour or so, it will help minimise the cake crumbling.

These delicious puddings can be made up as quick as a flash as long as you have a jar of jam in your cupboard. Plus, they're gluten-free so everyone can enjoy them.

This divine ice-cream would taste fantastic with fresh or caramelised banana.

a carnival of cakes to delight your guests ­ you could also personalise each cake with the name of the birthday child Tint each portion of butter cream with each of the colourings. Using a fork as a handle, spread top and side of each cake with a different coloured butter cream. Arrange balloon cakes […]

These crisp brandy snaps make a sophisticated, light dessert for a dinner party.

These adorable wedding cake cookies make great party favours for guests, or as a sweet treat for a wedding shower.

To make the ground walnuts, place nuts in a mini food processor or blender, process until fine. Note

Freshly diced mango and halved strawberries are a perfect match for this easy summer ice-cream. Note

If you love a bit of confectionary nostalgia, you'll adore our choc-mallow wheels recipe.

Frozen yoghurt can be made up to 3 days ahead; keep tightly covered with foil in the freezer. Note

You can trim the ice-cream slice to fit the lamington, if you prefer. Note

To keep the glossy finish to the frosting, the cake needs to be frosted no longer than 1 hour before serving. The frosting soon dries out, resembling cooked meringue. Note

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

The mixed spice gives a unique aromatic element to this cake, which is kept deliciously moist with the addition of yoghurt.

deep 20cm (8-inch) square cake pan 20cm (8-inch) square cake board (page 334) 30cm (12-inch) square cake board (page 334) You’ll need to buy an 80g (2½-ounce) packet of ice-cream wafers, as there will be some breakages when you line and make compartments in the jewellery box. The cake can be completed at least two […]

This recipe cleverly combines a honeycomb texture with toffee flavours to make a fabulous dipping dessert.

Equipment 26cm x 35cm baking dish ruler 30cm x 40cm covered cake board (page 110) Board shorts can be completed a day before the party. Note

EQUIPMENT 30cm (12-inch) round cake board, plastic sandwich bag, oven trays test kitchen tips If using butter cream instead of the chocolate frosting, you will need two quantities of chocolate butter cream . Use a variety of chocolate bars – such as Flakes, Violet Crumbles or Tim Tam biscuits – for the campfire logs. The […]

Any tart fruit makes an excellent base for a meringue pie, including pineapple and passionfruit, both of which would make delicious substitutes for the citrus we've used here.

Teaming sweet flavours with salt is not a new discovery, but in recent years the combination of salt and caramel has worked its way from the culinary elite to mainstream tastes. And a good thing, too.

This apple pie can be made two days ahead and refrigerated, covered, but pastry will tend to soften a little under the apple. Note

The chocolate and oil for the topping can be melted together in a microwave oven. Make topping just before serving ice-cream. Note

With layers of chocolate sponge, raspberry cream and crisp almond-topped meringue, this decadent cake is irresistible. It looks almost too good to eat. Almost.

No one need ever know that these delicious cakes came from a packet. Jazz them up with a few extras, and everyone will think that you are so creative. Note

Cointreau would work well for the liqueur in this recipe, although if you want to keep it booze free, orange juice would also do. Either way, for the amount of time involved the result is deceptively fancy.

This sauce goes well with steamed Christmas pudding or fruit cake, chocolate pudding, or over ice-cream. Note

This beautiful dessert couldn't be more simple to make, and can be easily adapted for any of your favourite candy bars.

Almond junket is an easy low-fat recipe that is a delicious alternative to jelly.

Equipment: 3 x 12-hole (1/3-cup/80ml) standard muffin pans, 30 standard paper cases. The icing will set quickly, so return it to the pan of water and reheat it gently until it’s runny again. Don’t overheat the icing or it will crystallise. A tiered cake plate is the perfect way to show off these ever-popular patty […]

This decadent tart is beautiful served with thick cream and has a caramelised surface, similar to a crème brûlée.

A healthy and delicious snack; wholemeal fruit and coconut loaf from Australian Women's Weekly.

These fluffy banana loaves with crunchy topping make a lovely accompaniment to a hot cup of tea.

Roasting stone fruit intensifies their flavour, as well as softening the flesh. These roasted peaches are doubly fragrant thanks to the honey and vanilla pods.

Chocolate sides and curls can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Decorate cake just before serving. Chocolate can be melted gently, uncovered, in the microwave, or over a small saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the base of the bowl), stirring frequently. Remove from the heat as […]

Sweet and spiked with liqueur, you can offer Irish coffee in place of traditional dessert.

Use any combination of melons you like. You could prepare this salad the day before, if you like; keep, covered, in the fridge. Add mint and juice to the melons when you're ready to enjoy.

20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular cake pan; 8cm x 25cm (3¼-inch x 10-inch) bar cake pan; 35cm x 45cm (14-inch x 18-inch) rectangular cake board Note

This summer fruit dish is so quick to put together, looks good and tastes great!

These colours are so vibrant together and create the perfect sweet treat.

You will never want store-bought again after trying this delicious recipe for moist date rolls.

These decadent self-saucing puddings are complete with an oozy melted chocolate centre. Serve drizzled with a rich caramel sauce and a dollop of vanilla ice-cream for the ultimate weekend dessert.

If you're looking for a new twist on an old favourite, these little white chocolate lamingtons are the business. Bite-sized pieces of feather-light sponge, dipped in white chocolate and coated in moist shredded coconut.

This is the trifle to end all trifles, the recipe for the ultimate trifle. Sponge fingers, liqueur, raspberries, strawberries and a liqueur spiked mascarpone cream. Delicious.

You'll get more howls of delight than of fear when you bring this spooky ice-cream cake out! A firm favourite from The Australian Women's Weekly Kids' Perfect Party Book.

To decorate the side of the cake with praline (as pictured), spread just the side of the filled cake with buttercream. Hold the top and the bottom of the cake in your hands and roll the cake ­ like a wheel­ in the praline. Place the cake on a serving plate, then spread the top […]

Loaves can be made up to 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container. Loaves are suitable to freeze. Note

Creamy custard, banana and sweet passionfruit are combined to make a delightful tropical dessert in these crisp miniature tarts.

Praline, otherwise known as nut toffee, is a versatile confection and can be used in many ways, but it's hard to go past a sprinkle on top of a dish of ice-cream for delicious simplicity.

Sandwiched with strawberries and cream ice-cream and drizzled with icing, these light-as-air choux puffs are irresistible.

This divine apple cake has a crunchy almond topping and goes beautifully with a morning or afternoon cuppa.

With a delicious almond, cherry and ginger topping drizzled with ganache, these chocolate cupcakes are fantastic for a special occasion.

This recipe is also nut-free, egg-free and gluten-free. Note

Topped with a fresh, juicy cherry, these delicate little cherry almond tartlets make a sophisticated afternoon tea treat.

A fortified wine, like sherry and port, muscat is the result of grapes left to ripen well beyond normal harvesting time, resulting in a concentrated dark, toffee-coloured wine with a rich yet mellow flavour. Note

Chocolate stout is available from bottle shops or online. You can swap it for a dark stout if you like. Make sure all fruit is chopped to the same size as the sultanas. Note

EQUIPMENT 1 x 20cm (8-inch) cardboard cake board; 2 x 8cm (3-inch) cardboard cake boards; paper piping bag; 50cm (20-inch) square-cake board. We used ganache in this recipe to hold the larger drum in place as it sets firmer than the frosting. Note

Perfect for a special afternoon tea, this moist chocolate sponge is filled with whipped cream and topped with coffee icing.

Drizzled in sweet lemon syrup, these crispy almond and walnut pastries are a delightful accompaniment to a cup of hot coffee.

This divine chocolate tart combines rich sweetness with salty crunch to create a flavour and texture sensation.

Tia Maria and Kahlua are coffee- flavoured liqueurs. You can substitute your favourite liqueur, if preferred. Note

These bite sized truffles make great gifts, especially at Christmas, as well as a sweet treat for parties or afternoon teas. If you want to go all out, dust with little fragments of gold leaf.

You can make these egg-and-dairy-free cupcakes in either vanilla or chocolate flavour, or if you're catering for many, make a batch of each.