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

You need a 6cm (2-inch) flower-shaped cookie cutter. Don’t use boiled lollies for the centres as they will melt during cooking. You can vary the lollies used, but gelatine-based ones (jelly babies and the like) are probably best. Note

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

Mocha vanilla twists are a cute and fun biscuit to both make and eat!

sicilian creams are best assembled close to serving. Any liqueur can be used to flavour these biscuits, e.g. Galliano, Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Amaretto. Note

You need 10 ice-block sticks. If the choc orange balls don’t stick to the cookies, secure them with a little melted chocolate. Note

Checkerboard cookies look and taste wonderful. These biscuits make a perfect gift. Stack the cookies, then wrap securely in cellophane to keep airtight. They will keep fresh for a week or two. Note

These cookies can be topped with nuts before baking or, once cooked, iced then dipped into various sprinkles, or simply dusted lightly with sifted icing sugar. To flavour the dough, beat your choice of essence or extract with the butter and sugar mixture, or beat in a teaspoon or two of finely grated citrus rind. […]

Place the unused vanilla bean in a jar of caster sugar to make your own vanilla sugar. Note

Dried lavender is available from gourmet food stores and cake decorating stores. Note

Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Note