Take one packet of chocolate cake mix, add bit of creativity and voila! A beautiful looking layered chocolate cake laced with Grand Marnier and sweet ricotta, decorated with toasted almonds.

Topped with golden, flaky pastry these individual chicken, leek and mushroom pies are great for either lunch or dinner.

Dusted with cocoa, these elegant chocolate soufflés are well worth the effort of making, especially served with a big dollop of spiked mascarpone.

It is fine to use just the one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. A cheesecake pan is similar to a texas muffin pan, only the base is removable. Note

kipfler potatoes, small and finger-shaped, have a nutty flavour and are great baked or in salads. You will need two bunches of asparagus for this recipe. Note

Tia Maria and Kahlua are both coffee-flavoured liqueurs and would work well in this recipe. Serve it up as a special grown-up treat along with your afternoon cuppa with friends.

This teacake usually sinks slightly due to the soft custard in the centre. Note

serving suggestion Dusted icing sugar. Note

These tasty little pizzetta bites with pesto, bocconcini and prosciutto make a great share platter for a cocktail party.

This delightful recipe combines all the great flavours of baklava into delicious cute sized cookies.

You'll win lots of friends with this luscious layered nachos recipe topped with fresh guacamole and sour cream.

The perfect balance of sweet, salty and crunchy, these delicious caramel peanut hearts are the perfect weekend snack, or gift for loved ones.

There is nothing better than the scent of home-baked bread wafting through the house. Try this delicious gluten-free version.

With spicy roast potatoes and a zingy tomato and capsicum salsa, this light fish dish makes a delicious, healthy dinner.

Sponge-finger biscuits are also known as savoiardi biscuits, savoy biscuits, lady’s fingers or sponge fingers; they are long, oval-shaped Italian-style crisp fingers made from sponge-cake mixture, and are available from supermarkets. Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Wild rice has a hearty 'nutty' flavour and is well worth paying a little extra for. Teamed here with flavoured with orange and herbs, it makes a delicious and filling vegetarian meal.

Moroccan spice mix and preserved lemon have the ability to transform the humble chicken thigh from a tasty cut of meat, to a sensation dish. Don't be tempted to substitute chicken breast, the thigh is much more tender, succulent and flavourful.

Making your own pizza bases is not difficult and it’s rewarding, but, if time is short, buy the bases and use the topping ingredients we’ve suggested. Note

Looking for something a little bit decadent? This rich chocolate, cherry cheesecake could be your answer!

A delicious baked pasta dish of chicken penne carbonara with crispy crumbs to keep the whole family happy.

Store slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Note

With a crunchy coconut topping, these fluffy banana muffins go perfectly with that morning or afternoon cuppa.

If you can’t find dried pineapple you can use the same amount of finely chopped dried apricot instead. Note

This crumble goes well with custard. Note

Balsamic white vinegar is a clear and lighter version of balsamic vinegar; it has a fresh, sweet clean taste, and is available from major supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

Moist, fresh and earthy, this cake owes all of its finer points to the inclusion of the beetroot.

The kids will love these delightful teddy bear biscuits. You can experiment with different coloured smarties to have a variety of coloured noses, if you like.

With hints of cardamom and orange, this rustic cake is delicious for a winter afternoon tea or dessert. Cardamom is one of the world's most expensive spices; it has a distinctive aromatic, sweetly rich flavour and is widely available.

Sweet, sticky and delicious deep-south finger-lickin' wings from Australian Women's Weekly.

You can also make the pastry using a food processor. Process flour and butter until crumbly; with motor operating, add the water and process until ingredients cling together. Or, you can buy ready-made frozen shortcrust pastry. Take leftover quiche to work the next day for lunch. It is great served either cold or warm. Note

You can buy artichoke quarters from most delicatessens. You could use steamed broccolini if artichokes are not available. If fresh broad beans are not available, buy them frozen. Note

Creamy rosemary risotto with roasted pumpkin, spinach and grated parmesan.

We used a thick, caramel-flavoured ice-cream topping in this recipe. Note

These teeny tiramisu cupcake towers are not only adorable, but a delightful option for dessert!

Make these exquisite veal goulash pies to impress your friends and family.

OK these can be a little fiddly, but we've used ready made wonton wrappers here so that makes things a little easier, and just as delicious. Your guests will be impressed!

Indulge your sweet tooth with this divine chocolate and raspberry tart. Filled with an oozy jam centre, one slice will send you to dessert heaven...

This spectacular dish is surprisingly simple, it's a great dish to serve up for a night of relaxed entertaining.

These crunchy Italian treats are perfect with hot espresso coffee.

Make your own hand-cut garlic and herb wedges from Australian Women's Weekly.

Drizzled in sweet passionfruit icing, this delectable tart is perfect with a morning or afternoon cup of tea.

These little individual pavlovas are the perfect finishing touch to any meal with friends. You can experiment will all sorts of fruit toppings; berries are always a good choice, as are the more tropical fruits like mango and passionfruit.

These black forest brownies feature that classic combination of rich dark chocolate and cherries.

Crispy and crunchy oven-baked parmesan chicken with a curly endive and olive salad.

Spicy and well spiced, these chilli, lime and coriander chicken skewers make a great starter or share plate for a party.

Some mussels may not open during cooking. You do not have to discard these; just cook a little longer, or carefully prise the shell open with a knife. Note

These pear and marzipan tartlets would not look out of place in the display cabinet of the most upmarket French pâtisserie. Don't let their delicate appearance fool you, they're surprisingly simple to make.

The popular combination of chocolate and peppermint makes this an extremely more-ish cake. This cake can also be baked in a deep 20cm-round cake pan that has its base lined with baking paper. Bake in moderate oven for about 1 hour. These icings are known as glacé icings, and are sometimes also called warm icings. […]

It is fine to use just 1 x 300ml carton (tub) of cream for this recipe. Make sure egg whites are only beaten until soft peaks form. If too firm, the cake is more likely to crack when rolling. Note

The frittata can be made a day ahead, and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

These crispy, tasty little tarts make wonderful finger food.

This date loaf comes out tremendously moist and is great served fresh with melted butter, but also keeps nicely for a rainy day.

Anchovy and chilli lamb neck chops with creamy polenta from Australian Women's Weekly.

EQUIPMENT 30cm x 40cm (12-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board You can use butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting. We used a variety of different jubes to get different shapes. Note

Sweet and delicious Vietnamese coffee crème caramel tart from Australian Women's Weekly.

Mediterranean-style baked lima beans from Australian Women's Weekly.

This zesty crumbed fish is packed with flavor and crunch. Perfect for a simple dinner with family or friends.

This chocolate almond tart has a rich, unctuous filling between layers of light, flakey pastry. Serve with a cup of coffee for an afternoon treat, or with a dollop of cream as dessert.

These scrumptious little chocolate and almond meringues manage to be both rich and light, crisp and chewy, all at the same time.

Moist, dense and dripping with syrup, this chocolate orange polenta cake is a very grown-up way to recapture a childhood love for jaffa cakes.

A soft and elegant white chocolate cake from the Australian Women's Weekly's famous test kitchen.

Topped with creamy coconut ganache, this white chocolate coconut citrus cake is a ripper of a recipe. Moist, dense and utterly delicious, the combination of coconut, lemon, lime and white chocolate is a winner.

PASTRY For information on how to wash leeks, see page 112. Note

A delicious dhal-stuffed flatbread, paratha, that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

You can use canned cherries if fresh are not in season. Note

This rich mocha cake with coffee syrup is pudding-like, darkly sweet and entirely satisfying.

Serve thick slices of this herby crumbed chicken with a big green salad for a delicious, speedy dinner.

This is our take on the traditional Swedish recipe of the same name. Even if you’re not a lover of anchovies, we’re certain you’ll love this dish. Try serving this dish with a green salad, dressed with a lemon vinaigrette. Note

It is very important to allow biscuits to cool completely before you attempt to remove them from trays, to avoid breaking Note

We found the brown-skinned beurre bosc pears worked best for this recipe. Note

An Asian-styled pork dish with a traditional Thai dipping sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Moussaka is a classic Greek dish, that is well known for both its vegetarian and meat based version. We've gone vegetarian here and the result is healthy and delicious. Serve with a green salad.

Unbaked pinwheels can be frozen for up to a month. Bake them straight from the freezer, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. Note

This impressive cake is brought to you by the classic Australian Women's Weekly birthday cake cookbook.

Drizzled in sweet toffee, these almond and cranberry wreath biscuits make wonderful Christmas gifts.

These fun and impressive blondies can be enjoyed by everyone. They are both nut-free and egg-free.

Try this cheesy, creamy chicken lasagne for a divine family meal, best served with a big green salad.

Turkey drumsticks are available from poultry shops and most major supermarkets. Turn this recipe into a tossed salad by mixing the sliced turkey through the ingredients, rather than serving it alongside the salad. Note