More than 1 hour

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

Try using a variety of mushrooms such as flat, cup, button, portobello, oyster and enoki, keeping small mushrooms halved or whole and large types sliced. Cooking the potatoes whole with the peel on keeps the potatoes dry and fluffy-doing this helps to create lightly textured pillows of gnocchi. Note

Vitello tonnato is a well-known Italian veal dish accompanied with a tuna mayonnaise. It is usually served cold or at room temperature, making the perfect appetiser for a Christmas lunch.

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

Porcini, dried Italian mushrooms, are available from delicatessens, gourmet food stores and some supermarkets. Some butchers sell a pork and veal mixture, this is fine to use here. Buy 625g. 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

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

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, […]

Get the milk and yogurt ready before tasting this hot and delicious Indian pork vindaloo.

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.

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 […]

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

Pies can be cooked one day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Reheat pies in a single layer on oven trays, covered loosely with foil, in oven (180°C/160°C fan-forced) for about 10 minutes. Uncooked pies can be frozen between layers of freezer wrap for up to three months; thaw in refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight […]

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

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.

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

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

Spice up your night with this Mexican chilli con carne with guacamole.

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

You don’t have to use fruit bread, ­you could use white bread, croissants or panettone. Croissants are particularly delicious with the strawberry jam. Note

Tuna and swordfish fillets are both good substitutes for cod. Note

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

You could use pecorino cheese as a substitute for kefalotyri cheese. Note

You need half a 1kg (2-pound) can plums for this recipe. You can use fresh plums when in season. Fill pastries up to an hour before serving. Note

Warming buns packed fulls of currants, pecans and spices and topped with gooey honey and coffee icing.

Recipe can be prepared 4 hours ahead up to the end of step 4. Note

Sticky, smoky American-style pork ribs with a zesty and crunchy slaw.

A gingerbread house that’s almost too pretty to eat, but try telling the kids that! Note

You need two medium pomegranates (640g) to get the required amount of pomegranate pulp. Note

This gorgeous layered cake is the perfect balance of sweet and nutty. It's the perfect celebratory cake to serve at Christmas time.

You can soak the beans early in the day before you want to serve them, then at night make this recipe; reheat the beans for breakfast the following day. Note

Cake can be baked and cut into shape one day ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator if weather is hot. Finish cake on day of serving, as per recipe. The remaining purple jelly can be used to make extra jelly cups. Young explorers will love this cake. The swamp is filled with murky (but delicious) jelly, […]

Any small jubes or jelly sweets can be used. Use lightly oiled scissors to cut the jubes. Note

This recipe will make about 36 balls. You can also use this stuffing to fill the cavity of a whole turkey or 2 large chickens. Note

For this recipe you need 1 large pomegranate (375g). Note

Ehh, what's up doc? This cake, for one! Inspired by our favourite wacky wabbit, Bugs, this kids' favourite - straight from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook - is sure to be a hit.

Even though small guests may not be eating the cakes they’ll love the look of a duckling-topped cake. Make sure the ducks are completely dry and firm. The drying time will depend on the weather; if it’s wet or humid, it could take overnight. The ducklings will take less time to dry than the mother […]

We cooked this recipe in two ovenproof dishes,­ each dish will serve three. We have deliberately used dried, uncooked pasta in this dish. The texture of the final dish is a little chewy, but still tender. Note

Recreate your favourite Asian starter dish at home with delicious satay and sweet and sour sauces.

Kids love funny faces so Merv is bound to create peals of merriment Note

Make sure the rose petals are chemical-free. Organic petals can be found at specialist cake decorating shops and some delicatessens. If fresh organic rose petals are unavailable, sprinkle cake with chopped rosewater-flavoured turkish delight. Rosewater will vary in strength between brands. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste. If using rosewater essence, start […]

Pie can be made a day ahead, keep, covered, in refrigerator. A deep-dish pie with generous helpings of fruit – perfect after a Sunday roast. Note

These delightful little pastry treats mean 'little tubes' and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine.

It is fine to use just the one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

It is fine to use just the one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. Note

The best French dessert of all time: delicious mini french éclairs with rich praline and smooth vanilla custard.

Make your roast Mediterranean style with this delicious spiced and zesty rub.

Round steak, gravy beef (shin) and skirt steak are all suitable meats for this recipe. Pho is a breakfast favourite throughout Vietnam, but can be eaten it any time of the day. Note

Equipment: 2 x 12-hole (2-tablespoons/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans 24 standard paper cases (brown) 40cm-square prepared cake board decorations white and black decorating gel The recipe makes 24 cakes, however, we’ve only used 17 in our picture. Encourage the guests to bring their instruments, if possible, to a musically-themed party. A white board would make […]

Many cooks think pecans are only suitable used in desserts, but they are just as good in salads, stuffings and main courses. They are also great tossed in curry spices then roasted or coated in chocolate or toffee. Studies show that pecans contain the most antioxidants of any nut and about 60 per cent of […]

Equipment deep 15cm (6-inch) square cake pan 20cm (8-inch) square prepared cake board or cake stand small piping bag fitted with small plain tube Cake can be completed a day ahead of the party. You will have some cake mixture left over,­ use it to make cupcakes. Note

This Italian-style baked cheesecake uses ricotta for extra creaminess. The addition of mixed glace fruits brings another layer of sweetness you'll go mad over.

Use a palette knife to press dough evenly over base of pan. Note

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

This is a very quick and easy cake to make that only involves hand-mixing in one bowl. It is very important to thoroughly drain the pineapple, or else the cake will be doughy and heavy. Toasting macadamias brings out the flavour. There are two ways to toast them: spread macadamias onto an oven tray, toast […]

Not suitable to freeze. You can also marinate the lamb in a large resealable plastic bag. Quince paste can be warmed in a microwave-safe jug in a microwave oven. Quince paste is available from delicatessens and most major supermarkets. Note

You need smoking chips and a smoke box for this recipe; they are available from barbecue supply stores. port-smoked beef Note

Crispy pork belly and nashi salad with a plum and five-spice dressing from Australian Women's Weekly.

Keeping time: 3 days. Note

You'll never have plain old mashed potato again after this delicious bacon and cheesy potato bake.

This deliciously tender piece of lamb is cooked using traditional Spanish flavours, combining salty chorizo and fragrant garlic and thyme to create a memorable dish for a roast dinner or Christmas lunch.

Crispy and delicious pork rack with a sweet apple sage sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

White ready-made fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes), silver luster and cachous can be found at specialty baking and cake-decorating stores. Note

Children of all ages will be delighted with a cake that makes one of their favourite games good enough to eat. Note

Using slightly under-ripe plums gives them a higher pectin level, which helps the paste to set. Note

You will need 2 x 180g packets of Allen’s Killer Pythons for this recipe. Note

Roast the tomatoes in a baking dish with deep sides; this shields them from the heat so they won’t burn. Note

This is a complete meal in a dish, but, it doesn’t reheat or freeze well, as the breadcrumbs absorb the moisture as it stands. Packaged japanese breadcrumbs (panko) can be bought from supermarkets which stock Japanese ingredients, they’re an excellent substitute for stale breadcrumbs. Note

Cool the quiches before packing into airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. They are not suitable to freeze. You need four 10cm (4-inch) spring-form tins for this recipe. Note

This bright and colourful lime curd, coconut and mango cake is the perfect summertime treat.

For this recipe you will need about 12 passionfruit to make 80ml of pulp. This type of cake is best made on day of serving. Note

Keeping time: 3 days. Note

As easy as raita is to make, if you are in a hurry you can cheat and buy tzatziki, which is the Greek eqivalent of the Indian raita. Note

Orange blossom water, also called orange flower water, is a concentrated flavouring made from orange blossoms. It is available from Middle Eastern food stores, delicatessens and some supermarkets. Note

Use a 26cm x 35cm baking dish 35cm square cake board. Cake can be made and covered with butter cream a day before the party. Top with popcorn and finish the cake up to three hours before the party. Be sure to remove toothpicks before cutting and serving the cake. Note