Moderate

Spicy American-style crab and prawn cakes, served with ribbon salad and a spicy tomato remoulade, make a great cocktail food platter.

A quick and delicious chicken, chorizo and okra gumbo, a dish that originated in southern Louisiana.

Makes about 24 Note

Verjuice dressing strikes the perfect savoury note to lift this seared tuna on potatoes, eggs and vegetables out of the realm of the ordinary. A deconstructed salad nicoise that makes the perfect lunch to serve friends on the weekend.

Inserting the stuffing between the skin and meat of the breast prevents it from drying out while cooking, as well as infusing the meat with flavour.

Sometimes the simple meals are the best choice, especially after a time of feasts. Glazed ham with asparagus salad is a lovely, light way to use up Christmas ham.

This burnt brown sugar ice-cream pudding with its crushed pistachio praline crust is simply divine.

Sour cream dressing adds a lemony lift to this smoked trout and avocado salad. If you can't get your hands on any smoked trout, you could substitute smoked salmon. Either way, the crisp leaves, soft avocado and fish bites make a delicious dish.

Crispy on the outside, these chocolate lace cookies are chewy on the inside. Just what you need when it's time to sit down with a cup of tea.

Mature cheddar makes for a stronger flavour, you can up the intensity by choosing a sharper cheese.

Homemade syrups and cordials are a great addition to your fridge or pantry, they can be used to make refreshing drinks, served neat over ice-cream or as the base for other fruit-based sauces.

Spice up your beef rib roast, the king of roasts, with spiced salt and serve with luscious garlic mayonnaise on the side.

These puffs are best eaten soon after baking. Note

Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for about 30 minutes before use to prevent splintering and scorching. Note

Plump prawn dumplings are delicious served with either soy, sesame or chilli dipping sauce.

If cooking in a conventional oven, grease 1.5-litre (6-cup) ovenproof dish. Bake, uncovered, in moderately hot oven about 20 minutes. This recipe is best made close to serving. This quick and easy version of the classic recipe does not require pots or pans, so it’s the perfect dessert for pudding lovers with no time to […]

Silky smooth and deeply nourishing, this cream of celeriac soup is lifted by lemon and chervil and finished with a drizzle of olive oil.

The natural sweetness of date and banana make this fruity slice moist and rich. Gorgeous served with a cup of tea or strong coffee.

An exquisite Asian starter dish of hoisin pork with salted crackling from Australian Women's Weekly.

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

Chicken stock can be substituted for dashi. You can add 100g tofu or 150g minced pork or chicken for a more substantial soup. Note

This Indian curry is a rich and delicious blend of local spices from the region of Goa.

Coffee caramel cupcakes piled high with delicious coffee cream, thanks to rich jersey caramels.

Equipment 2 large oven trays 6.5cm (2¾-inch) heart-shaped cutter small piping bag fitted with small plain tube Sprinkling lollies into heart shapes Joining boxes with royal icing The tea lights should only be left alight for a short time or the heat will melt the windows. Note

Tender lamb stuffed with spicy, harissa couscous makes a great centrepiece for a dinner party. Serve with a cooling, yoghurt based dressing on the side.

Zeppole di san giuseppe is also known as St Joseph's Day cake.

Limoncello liqueur is an Italian lemon-flavoured liqueur made from the peel only of fragrant lemons. The peels are steeped in a good-quality clear alcohol then diluted with sugar and water.

Filled sponges are best eaten the day they are made. Note

Soak skewers in water for 30 minutes prior to using to prevent them from scorching during cooking. Note

It is fine to use just the one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. To make the crisps uniform, draw rectangles on baking paper, turn the paper over, then pipe meringue into the rectangular shapes. Spread mixture evenly with a metal spatula. Trim edges of cold crisps with a sharp knife. Note

Naturally sweet pumpkin and orange make for a delicious dish of couscous.

You can substitute equivalent weights of peas, capsicum, mushrooms or zucchini if you prefer them to the vegetables suggested. Note

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

You will need a 300g carton of sour cream for this recipe. Note

We used a store-bought lemon curd in this recipe. Biscuits can be made a day ahead; they are best filled on the day of serving. Note

We used fruit mince bought in a jar from the supermarket, but home-made would be even better. Store squares in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Note

We used very small pink lady apples, the ones suitable for kids’ lunchboxes. 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 just come together. Or you can use ready-made shortcrust pastry. Note

DOUGH Note

Little tennis lovers will rejoice in this delicious and impressive birthday cake.

We used ling fillets in this recipe, but you can use your favourite white fish fillet. You need to soak eight bamboo skewers in cold water for at least an hour to prevent them from scorching during cooking. Serve the skewers with lime wedges, if you like. Note

Cake can be completed and frozen, except for the coconut and penguins, at least a week before the party. Use regular ice-cream, not one high or low in fat. Buy small plastic toy penguins or make your own (as pictured) by moulding coloured ready-made white icing. Note

Deeply savoury and rich with tomato and Mediterranean vegetables, this simple baked fish dish makes and excellent shared lunch or dinner.

Apple and caramel go together perfectly, and these caramel apple squares make a perfect afternoon tea treat or light dessert.

The perfect Christmas summer dessert.

Kefalotyris is a semi-firm greek sheep’s or goat’s milk cheese. Although called a pie, this traditional greek vegetable and herb packed recipe contains no pastry and is held together with eggs and fetta. Note

Warmly spiced and studded with ginger and macadamia nuts, these coconut and lime puddings are lovely served warm with a dollop of cream or ice-cream.

This wonderful veal braise is so tender you could eat it with a spoon. You may need to order the veal shoulder, sometimes called veal blade, a few days ahead of time from your butcher. Ask your butcher to bone, roll and tie the meat for you.

Moist and fruity with a crunchy, crumbly topping, this sour cream and cherry coffee cake with almond crumble is delicious.

A fun and fishy cake that is perfect for a three year old's birthday party.

Coffee buttercream sandwiched between delicate crumbly meringue makes a simple, sweet treat perfect for coffee lovers.

To make a cross pattern on the tarts, dust tarts generously with sifted icing sugar, then carefully heat a metal skewer over a flame (from a gas-stove top or a cook’s blowtorch). Sear a cross pattern into the top of each tart with the heated skewer before serving. Note

Dill yoghurt dressing is the perfect accompaniment to this delicate poached trout.

Thrill your child on their birthday with this gorgeous hot-pink dragon cake.

Black beans, also known as turtle beans, are a common ingredient in Caribbean and Latin American soups, salsas and salads. They are not the same as Chinese black beans, which are fermented soy beans. Note

Fierce and tangy, this chilli lemon marinade works beautifully with chicken, pork and firm white fish such as blue-eye.

A closed 25cm (10-inch) springform pan can be used to make this cake. Once the toffee is processed with the mint leaves, it will become sticky and must be used immediately. Note

There are many versions of hot and sour soup throughout Asia. The common factor, of course, is that they all have ingredients to make them both spicy, and sour. This one also has seafood and noodles and is a complete and delicious meal.

Traditional versions of this recipe originate in Spain, and are very similar to British Christmas or fruit cakes. Like with many traditional recipes, various exist between cultures and countries, even individual kitchens. This is our version.

Use the best fish stock you can get for this recipe as the flavour relies on a good stock. Note

Make sure you use prepared white horseradish in the dressing and not the blended condiment sold by the name of horseradish cream. Note

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

Keep uncooked fish balls, covered, in single layer on tray, in the refrigerator until required. The fish balls will firm up and the flavours of the mixture will blend together. You can also freeze uncooked fish balls in snap-lock plastic bags. Pickled green peppercorns are less pungent than black peppercorns and are frequently used in […]