Modern Australian

Dip your fingers in cold water when shaping meatballs to keep the raw mixture from sticking to your hands. Note

Flavoured Milk Bottles can be found in packets of ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania; use whichever colours you like. Remember to remove the skewers from the drawbridge before cutting the cake. Note

Use white Candy Melts in place of chocolate Melts for an extra-white finish. Note

Soba are fresh or dried Japanese noodles made from buckwheat and wheat flour. They’re available from Asian food stores and major supermarkets. Note

Equipment deep 23cm (9¼-inch) square cake pan 30cm (12-inch) round or square prepared cake board and a bamboo skewer. The cake can be made a day before the party. Note

A cheese slicer makes curls about 2.5cm long; if you don’t have one, use a vegetable peeler, it will make smaller curls. We used a white chocolate mud cake in this recipe, and made a coffee-flavoured ganache to complement it and the chocolates, however, a dark chocolate mud cake would also look wonderful filled with […]

Tender slow-cooked lamb shoulder with a sweet and delicious quince and honey rub.

Macaroons are available from specialty bakery shops and select supermarkets. If you can’t find them, any small round filled biscuit will do. Try mini Oreos or mini Wagon Wheels, or Monte Carlos. Note

Aïoli is a garlic mayonnaise; it is available in supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

Snow pea sprouts and pea tendrils can be hard to get sometimes, use bean sprouts or any other type of sprouts instead. Note

As a rule, when steaming, the water should never touch the food. While a tight-fitting lid will keep most of the water in the pan or wok, if you’re steaming for long periods of time, it’s not a bad idea to check occasionally, that the water has not totally evaporated. Note

Be extremely careful when blending hot soup, let it cool a little first. Don’t overfill the blender, one third to half full is a good guide, and make sukre the lid is secure. Alternatively use a stick blender. Note

Whether you're a fan of the original story or of the sassy Shrek cat, this Puss In Boots cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook is an all-time favourite.

Peaches & Cream are found in Allen’s Party Mix. You’ll have about 1 cup of the cake mixture left over; use to make extra cupcakes for the party. Note

The butterflies can be made months ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Tylose powder is a hardening agent, it helps the butterflies maintain their wings in an upward position. Cascading butterflies of just about any colour will look splendid on a tiered cake like this. Keep the colour of the cakes pale, […]

You can use one quantity shortcrust pastry instead of the store-bought pastry sheets. Note

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Fruit medley is a combination of chopped dried fruit containing apricots, apples, sultanas etc. Any fruit of your choice can be substituted. Note

Fun, colourful and delicious, this adorable sand castle themed birthday cake is perfect for busy explorers who love spending time at the beach.

You can use lemon, lime or blood orange marmalade or your favourite jam instead. Note

Desiree, bintje or russet burbank potatoes are all good choices for this recipe. Note

Remember that when you put food onto skewers, not to squash everything together. Leave a little space between each item to allow the heat to circulate and to ensure everything cooks through. If you have time, soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to stop them from burning during cooking, or cover the ends […]

Make your own rosemary and lemon cured beef to sit atop crisp sourdough toasts with sour cream - perfect for a canape or starter at your next dinner party.

The tin needs to be coated thickly with melted butter so the roll won’t stick to the inside of the tin. Don’t use cooking-oil spray, as this doesn’t give a good enough coating and the roll will stick and be hard to turn out. If you can’t find nut roll tins, this mixture can be […]

Equipment: 4 x 10cm (4-inch) (closed) springform pans Everybody loves their own individual dessert ­ here, the tropical flavours blend happily with the creamy cheesecake filling. The mango rose pattern is simple to achieve, but looks impressive on the cheesecakes. We used a plain store-bought sponge for this recipe, you can make your own, if […]

Use white Candy Melts in place of chocolate Melts for a whiter finish Note

You could use pastrami, shaved turkey or chicken breast instead of the beef. Note

We removed the roe from the scallops, but it can be left intact, if you prefer. Note

Cake is best decorated on day required. Note

You can use any fresh berries you like in this recipe. Note

Cointreau or Triple Sec can be substituted for Grand Marnier. Note

Quick and easy-to-make crispy roast potatoes with paprika aïoli from Australian Women's Weekly.

For best results use only the reddest parts of the rhubarb stems. Note

This is a quick version of making a soufflé as the base is not made on a flour-thickened cheese sauce. Note

Theses healthy lemon ricotta pancakes skip the sugar and instead are topping with zesty mandarin pieces and a drizzle of honey for a clean, simple breakfast pancake dish. The right way to start your day.

The metal will conduct heat through the centre of the potatoes, helping them to cook faster. Note

Panettone are easy to find around Christmas time, at other times they may not be as readily available. You can use brioche instead, adding a handful of sultanas, or thick-cut fruit bread. Note

This adorable princess birthday cake is perfect for kids who love all things pretty and pink.

A crispy and delicious mashed potato casserole is the perfect accompaniment to roast dinners.

You will need about 7 lemons for this recipe. Note

Equipment 6-hole (¾-cup/180ml) texas muffin pan 7 x 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans 1 yellow texas muffin paper case 77 yellow mini muffin paper cases 50cm-square prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) Decorations 85g packet yellow jelly crystals 400g packet Smarties 1 tablespoon orange sprinkles 5cm piece black licorice strap 25 […]

This beautiful raspberry and rosewater cake is perfect for a birthday celebration or a Valentine's Day gift for your loved one. Not only does it look amazing, it tastes utterly delicious.

store in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Cake pops will keep for up to a week. Note

Use small piping bags without a tube or strong plastic bags snip a tiny corner from the bag for easy piping. Prepared cake boards are available from cake decorating and craft stores; you will need one 30cm (12-inch) round board for this cake. Note

Charming little savoury pies filled with a delicious chicken, celery and thyme mix.

These delicious homemade chicken and vegetable rolls are great for sharing.

This cake is at its best eaten on the same day as baking. Keeping time: 1 day. Note

You will need a 60cm square of unbleached calico. If the fabric is new, soak in cold water overnight, then boil for 20 minutes; rinse well before using. Use day-old breadcrumbs for this recipe. Chop all the fruit to the same size as the sultanas. Wrap the pudding in plastic wrap, seal tightly in a […]

Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Stir in coriander. Note

An exquisite and wholesome smoked chicken, radicchio and basil salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Crispy, crunchy and golden minted tuna triangles that are perfect for sharing with friends at the bach.

You will need 2 large pomegranates (860g) for this recipe. Note

If you can’t find dried cherries, use the equivalent amount of extra dried cranberries instead. Note

We used a large octopus in this recipe, but you could also use baby octopus. Ask the fishmonger to clean the octopus. Note

This pudding can be made a week ahead; store, covered, in the fridge, or freeze for up to 2 months. Brandy cream sauce can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the fridge. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml), bake about 25 minutes. Note

Silver leaf, available from cake decorating stores, is delicate and fiddly to handle but worth the effort. Note

Keeping time: 4 days. Note

Use any melon and berry combination; just make sure you use the same amounts. Note

Cripsy, crunchy and delicious schnitzels crumbed in garlic, sage and lemon.

You can use drained gelatinous noodles instead of the cellophane noodles. Note