More than 1 hour

Wear a pair of rubber gloves when you handle the cooked beetroot to avoid staining your hands. Note

Have butter at room temperature. Beat butter in a small bowl with electric mixer until very pale. Add half sifted icing sugar and half milk; beating until well combined. Add remaining icing sugar and milk; beat until mixture is smooth. Note

Delicious tomato and mushroom calzone; a great sharing dish for family and friends.

Lamb option; cook lamb fillets in heated large non-stick frying pan until browned all over; slice thinly. Place on top of non-vegetarians’ portions of pizza; cook as above. Note

Recipe is suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

Rich and warmly spiced, this baked cheesecake with fig and orange makes an excellent dessert or mid-afternoon treat.

Chocolate and prune are a texture and taste combination that was made in cake lovers' heaven.

Sweet and fun honey bees on a stick; great for children's parties.

Makes about 24 Note

This golden beef pie is classic comfort food; perfect for a cosy night in by the fire.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Any beef cut suitable for stewing can be used for the pie filling: gravy beef, skirt, blade or chuck steak. These cute little beef and stilton pies make excellent finger food.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Corn (maize) was brought back to Europe from the US by Christopher Columbus. It has become an Italian staple in the form of polenta. In the US, corn bread may be served with butter and jam, or as an accompaniment to casseroles and other meat dishes.

No Christmas would be complete without a rich fruit cake such as this orange-scented beauty.

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

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

This cake can be made two days ahead. Note

These chocolate ginger mud cakes with their gorgeous gum nut decorations are easier to make than you'd think. Perfect when the occasion calls for a bit of stylish Australiana.

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

Perfectly roasted potatoes should be crisp and golden brown on the outside, and densely smooth and moist on the inside; full-flavoured and rich but never greasy.

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.

This cake is sublime served warm with thick, fresh cream.

The hardest part of making this cake is making the butter cream smooth on the sides of the petals where the cake has been cut. If you freeze the cut cake pieces for an hour or so, it will help minimise the cake crumbling.

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

Cosy up with this winter with tender slow-cooked lamb shanks and dreamy white bean purée.

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

A beautiful, bright and healthy lamb, burghul and grilled zucchini salad.

A spicy Indian-style tandoori lamb dish with grilled eggplant; great for barbecues in the summer.

No one need ever know that these delicious cakes came from a packet. Jazz them up with a few extras, and everyone will think that you are so creative. Note

Granny Smith apples are best for this recipe; they add a wonderful tart characteristic for a good balance of flavours.

Tender and slow-cooked beef in red wine sauce with roasted tomatoes from Australian Women's Weekly.

This decadent tart is beautiful served with thick cream and has a caramelised surface, similar to a crème brûlée.

This bread should keep for about 3 days. Note

Roast lamb is always a crowd pleaser. Team it with mint sauce and you'll be rewarded with rapturous applause and cheering. Well, almost.

This chicken filo pie makes a great centrepiece for a weekend lunch with friends, or a picnic in the park.

A rich and warming leek, bean and mushroom bake infused with red wine, passata and fresh thyme.

If you're looking for a new twist on an old favourite, these little white chocolate lamingtons are the business. Bite-sized pieces of feather-light sponge, dipped in white chocolate and coated in moist shredded coconut.

This deconstructed Beef Wellington makes for a new take on a genuine classic. A fabulous dish to serve up at a special dinner party.

You'll get more howls of delight than of fear when you bring this spooky ice-cream cake out! A firm favourite from The Australian Women's Weekly Kids' Perfect Party Book.

To decorate the side of the cake with praline (as pictured), spread just the side of the filled cake with buttercream. Hold the top and the bottom of the cake in your hands and roll the cake ­ like a wheel­ in the praline. Place the cake on a serving plate, then spread the top […]

Make your own bourbon-glazed ham with a warm potato and celery salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

Loaves can be made up to 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container. Loaves are suitable to freeze. Note

Hot sauce is the perfect condiment to use if you want to add extra spice to your meal. Spoon a little hot sauce on enchiladas, tacos or even scrambled eggs.

This sensational tasting bread can be served warm straight from the oven alongside soups or as a snack. Either way, it won't last long when there are hungry mouths to feed.

This celestial leg of ham will be the centrepiece of your Christmas table.

Delicious pink barbecued lamb with a smoky and crunchy crust with a date and pistachio couscous.

Dhansak is an Indian adaptation of a famous festive dish of the Parsi community of the Indian subcontinent; it always consists of several types of pulses and vegetables, and is served with rice. The Parsi often add mutton to the dish. Note

It's important not to overcrowd the turkey, fennel and lemon in the baking dish so they cook evenly and caramelise.

Plump scallops turn this creamy fennel and potato soup into something really special, the perfect starter for a winter dinner party.

Low in sugar and rich in fruit, this wholemeal loaf makes an excellent breakfast or afternoon energy booster.