Moderate

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

If you can’t find wattleseeds, substitute with ground coffee. Note

Lemon juice gives this cream of chicken soup a citrus lift, cutting through the richness of the soup.

Dukkah is a Middle Eastern spice blend containing toasted nuts and seeds. It is usually based on hazelnuts, spices and sesame seeds, and teamed here with roasted garlic yoghurt it will make your lamb cutlets sing.

Give your traditional shortbread a twist with this chocolate pistachio shortbread recipe from the Women's Weekly! Delicious as an afternoon tea treat, or wrapped in cellophane for homemade Christmas food gift.

Suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my very goodness. This homemade Irish creme liqueur makes a wonderful and unique Christmas gift. But be warned, you may not want to give it away.

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

Roast lamb is an all-time family favourite, and for good reason. This delicious version will satisfy the gluten-free, paleo, low-carb, or just plain hungry.

Tangy and fragrant Vietnamese pork steaks with noodle salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

There's nothing more refreshing than a long, cool glass of spritzer when you're parched. This zesty lime and mint spritzer will revive you.

These scallops on the half-shell, dressed with fragrant saffron cream and topped with salmon roe, make an exquisite starter for a very special dinner.

Crispy wonton wrappers make a great base for all kinds of toppings, here we've used smoked trout and horseradish.

A classic mix of great flavours!

Mother's Day, Father's Day, Saturday, any day is the right day for pancakes with three toppings for breakfast, brunch or even lunch.

The barbecue is the perfect way to cook a butterflied leg of lamb. Have your butcher trim, split, and debone a whole leg for you.

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!

Mini parmesan scones with goats cheese & tapenade make delicate, tasty little canapes.

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.

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

Barramundi is perfect for this fish on polenta with dill gremolata, as it's strong enough to handle the gremolata without dominating the overall balance of flavours.

A proper, finger-licking chilli salt prawns recipe brought to you by Australian Women's Weekly

These smoked trout tarts with peas and dill make a great lunch. If you'd like to make finger food sized versions for a party, just quarter the filo sheets at the beginning, use a mini-muffin tin and cut the cooking time to 10-12 minutes.

Salted capers are a good choice for this delicious salmon with lemon and caper butter as the texture holds up beautifully when finely chopped. Serve with a peppery watercress salad on the side.

This incredibly simple fish curry uses ginger, garam masala, paprika and turmeric to add flavour without heat, and buttermilk for a smooth, creamy finish.

A bright and colourful dish with lamb cutlets, char-grilled vegetable salad and a chunky pesto.

These heavenly cinnamon and sour cherry macarons are definitely for the grownups. In order to get the pretty 'feet' effect along the bottom of each macaron, make sure you leave them to dry out completely before baking.

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.

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

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.

These spicy chilli marinated prawns served with and aïoli dressing make a great lunch or starter for a special dinner.

Pre-order a boned duck from your local poultry shop or from the poultry section in your supermarket. A 2kg duck, once boned, will weigh approximately 900g and is the correct size for this recipe. You need eight 10cm bamboo skewers for this recipe. Note

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

Recipe not suitable to freeze. Note

If there is not enough oil in the mixed vegetable antipasto to make ⅓ cup, add olive oil to make up the required amount. Note

In southern Italy and Sicily this dish is called braciole and in the northern regions it is called involtini; our version of this classic veal dish also has a burst of sage.

Patties can be prepared several hours ahead. Keep covered in the refrigerator. Cook as required. Note

Hot, oozy and deliciously spiced, these cheese fritters with fresh mint salsa are perfect for handing round at a party. Just make sure you have napkins on hand for your guests.

The tagine's conical shape makes a uniquely moist, hot cooking environment for the dish being cooked. Fish is well suited to this cooking method as it keeps the flesh tender and succulent. You could substitute any firm white fish for the snapper.

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

A simple but luxurious pasta that makes a wonderful starter or a gorgeous light dinner.

The polenta and dressing can be made a day ahead; refrigerate, covered. Vegetables can be cooked a few hours ahead; keep wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge. Note

Cooking the pasta in boiling water for 2 minutes less than recommended on the packet directions means that it will still be quite firm. The pasta will be perfectly cooked once it has spent time in the oven. Note

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

egg-free gluten-free wheat-free Florentines can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. 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

Picnic noodle cake can be prepared a day ahead. Keep covered in the refrigerator. Note

Home-made wontons are surprisingly easy to make, and entirely worth it for the freshness of the flavours.

Honeycup mustard is available from some supermarkets, delicatessens and butchers. If you prefer, you can simply combine dijon mustard with honey in the proportion of 1 tablespoon dijon to 2 tablespoons honey. Note

Alternatively, the frittata can be made in a 24cm/9½-inch non-stick ovenproof frying pan, cooked, covered, over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes, then transferred to a hot grill (broiler) for 3 minutes or until browned lightly. You will need an ovenproof frying pan if it goes under the grill (or cover the handle with a […]

Chermoulla is a marinade of fresh and ground herbs and spices often used in the cooking of North Africa. This tender chermoulla lamb is gorgeous served with chickpea salad and pitta bread.

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 […]

For a more intense flavour, marinate the lamb 1 hour. Note

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

Chiffonade is a way of cutting leafy herbs into thin strips. Lay leaves flat on top of each other, then roll up tightly and cut into thin strips. 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

Tuna sold as sashimi has to meet stringent guidelines regarding its handling and treatment after leaving the water. Regardless, it is still probably a good idea to know your fishmonger quite well, or to seek advice from local authorities before eating any raw seafood. Note

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

This brightly coloured and healthy terrine makes a lovely light lunch, served with salad, or a perfect starter.

This salad could hardly be simpler, but the combination of shredded chicken, fresh figs and bitter leaves makes for a quietly spectacular dish.

Salting the zucchini draws out excess moisture. Some salt will remain after you squeeze out this moisture, so season the fritters lightly. Chop the basil for the fritters just before using as it will start to blacken. The fritters and pesto can be made a day ahead; refrigerate in separate airtight containers. To reheat fritters, […]

You can use 375 grams of minced lamb instead. Add it at the same step of the recipe and cook it, stirring with a wooden spoon, breaking up any large lumps, until browned. Note