Modern Australian

The pork neck can be marinated in the glaze the day before. The pork and potatoes can be roasted in an oven at 180°C/350°F. Note

You can peel the potatoes in advance and leave them in a bowl of cold water so they don’t go brown. Once they are sliced, assemble the dish immediately. Don’t stand the sliced potatoes in cold water or you will wash away their natural starch, which thickens the sauce. Note

You need about 3 large overripe bananas (690g) for the amount of mashed banana in this recipe. Note

While this frilly little cake is ideal for a baby shower or christening, it would also delight any budding prima ballerina in the family. Use shades of pink to resemble a tutu, and top with a pair of ballet slippers. The frilled strips of icing should still be slightly soft when positioned on the cake. […]

equipment 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board (page 208) 15cm (6-inch) round wooden cake board (page 208) smoothing tools number 3 strip cutter 7mm (¼-inch) wide 3 wooden skewers 2 paper piping bags (page 221) white florist’s tape The strip cutter, used for marking the icing on the top tier of this cake, is very […]

Arrrr you looking for the best kids' birthday cake ever? Pirate Pete is the the way to go! From The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook, this easy cake is sure to impress.

Ground lemon myrtle is available from specialist spice shops and some gourmet food stores. Lemon myrtle is a small tree that grows in sub-tropical and tropical rainforest areas of Queensland. Ground lemon myrtle is a ground mixture of the dried leaf and flower; it has a strong lemon flavour. If you can’t find it, use […]

Also known as floating islands, this dessert is an adaptation of a French pudding, in which a stale sponge cake, steeped in liqueur, was floated in a bowl of custard. Note

To test the conserve: when the mixture has thickened, place a saucer or a small plate in the freezer for 5 minutes or until chilled. Spoon a little of the hot conserve onto the cold saucer. Return to the freezer for 2 minutes or until chilled. Touch the conserve. Note

Use a stiff brush to scrub the mussels under cold water. Note

For a healthier option, use olive-oil spray instead of butter for pastry sheets. School prawns (shrimp) can also be used, or try crab or lobster meat. Note

You will need to buy four 22g packets of Life Savers for this cake. Be sure to remove toothpicks, cotton wool and skewer from cake before cutting and serving. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml); bake about 40 minutes. Note

We don’t recommend that you freeze cooked vegetables as they tend to have a spongy texture and “leftover” look about them once they’ve been thawed. Mushrooms, eggplant and members of the squash family are especially freezer unfriendly. Note

Use any firm white fish fillets, such as perch, ling or blue-eye trevalla, for this recipe. Note

When they’re in season, this pudding also works well with quince. Prepare 4 small quince (800g) as for the pears in step 1, cooking them for 30 minutes until softened. Note

A delicate and exquisite fennel and apple salad packed full of big flavours.

To make individual crumbles, use four 1½ cup (375ml) dishes and bake 15 minutes. Note

Potted prawns can be made a day before the picnic, keep well-iced during transportation. Make crostini close to departure time. Note

You can use blueberries or cranberries instead of goji, if you like. Store bars in an air-tight container for up to 1 week. Note

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

Canned whole baby beets can be substituted for fresh beetroot, if preferred. Potatoes, beetroot and peas can be cooked in advance and refrigerated, covered. Combine salad just before serving or beetroot will “bleed” into egg and potato Note

These crispy and crunchy chicken strips are unbeatable with pistachio and chilli crumbs.

You need six 30cm (12-inch) squares of unbleached calico and six 1m (1 yard) lengths of kitchen string. Note

There's no cake like an chocolate layer cake, and this one will be sure to turn heads when presented at any party.

Pop open a bottle of wine and sit back in the sunshine to enjoy your beautiful seafood platter. We've included two delicious sauces in this recipe that will complement your platter wonderfully.

Decorate the cake pops with small bows. Note

This cake is perfect for the little girl who dreams of having her very own pony. Note

Creative kids will love helping with this easy sewing machine birthday cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook.

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. […]

During the final 10 minutes of cooking, stir the barbecue sauce occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch on the base of the pan. To make the chicken wings go further, cut each one in half through the joint into two pieces. Do ahead The barbecue sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, refrigerate […]

A French-style parfait that's sure to impress.

Juicy lamb cutlets with a bright and colourful tomato and parsley salad.

Hundreds & thousands 18 milk chocolate freckles 30cm yellow ribbon The cutter we used was about 5cm (2 inches) deep, which made it easier to cut right through the cake. You could use a sharp pointed vegetable knife to cut out the cake rounds, cutting around the markings of the shorter cutter. Freeze the little […]

This recipe is also gluten-free. Note

You will need to cook 350g pumpkin for the amount of mashed pumpkin required in this recipe. Note

Edible gold leaf and candy thermometers are available from kitchenware stores and cake decorating suppliers. Note

This pudding recipe is suitable to freeze. Note

EQUIPMENT Deep 22cm (9-inch) square cake pan 35cm (14-inch) square cake board Carefully position photograph in centre of cake. You can use any photographic print you like, but remember to laminate it if you want it to remain after the cake is gone. Use a selection of your favourite lollies to decorate this cake Note

Flaked coconut can be bought from a store which stocks Indian and Fijian food. Note

Patties tend to shrink when cooking, so make sure you make them about 12cm (4¾-inch) in diameter. Note

A light and fluffy strawberries and cream sponge cake with visually stunning layers.

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

Stand the beef at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. Salsa can be prepared a day ahead, keep, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

The caipiroska is a classic cocktail made with vodka, sugar and muddled lime. Great for a hot summers day.

Ballerina cake toppers are available from cake decorating suppliers, or top with tiny ballerina dolls from toy stores. Note

Grilled chicken parcels stuffed with ham, spinach, ricotta and sun-dried tomatoes.

Equipment 18 x 30cm cake pop sticks; large square styrofoam block; 2 paper piping bags. Use any firm-textured cake to make cake pops ­ mud, fruit, coconut or butter cakes all work well. Leftover Christmas cake or pudding are real winners as they’re usually moist. Cake pop sticks (also sold as `lollypop candy sticks’) are […]

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

Inserting the base of the springform pan upside down will make it easier to slide the cake from the base. Note

Use frangelico (hazelnut) or crème de cacao (chocolate) flavoured liqueurs. Cut cakes with a serrated knife. Note

Sandwiches can be prepared several hours ahead. Keep wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator until required. Bread is an excellent source of energy-giving carbohydrates. Wholemeal and wholegrain breads are also a rich source of dietary fibre and other nutrients because they contain the natural goodness of the entire grain. Note

Store cake pops in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Pipe eyes and mouths on the day of serving. They will keep for up to a week. Note