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

For either a morning snack or afternoon tea, this moist, zesty loaf is just perfect.

Try these fudgy brownies for an easy, decadent treat.

Crunchy and decadent, this chocolate macadamia slice is perfect with a cup of hot coffee or tea.

Assemble and serve éclairs as close to serving time as possible. Note

These crunchy chocolate and peanut truffles are so easy to make and are the perfect sweet treat with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Just wait for the hidden crunch.

This buttery apple pie slice is perfect for a picnic and tastes heavenly with whipped cinnamon cream.

Plump with fruit, this delicious apricot fruit cake is perfect with your morning or afternoon cuppa.

These pretty teacups and teapots are versatile little biscuits. They'd be perfect to serve at a kitchen tea, but would also be great at a little girl's first tea party, or as a delicious gift to take to a house-warming party.

Whip up a batch of these fluffy savoury muffins with crunchy cheese topping. They're great served warm with butter or packed in a lunchbox.

For a delicious morning tea, serve these golden muffins warm with butter.

These crunchy muffins are delicious served with a slather of apricot butter and a cup of hot coffee.

The beauty of the macaron lies in its versatility; they can be enhanced with all manner of exotic flavours and be equally delicious. Try these lemon and basil beauties for a grown up version of this most delicious sweet treat.

Moist and nutty little coffee and walnut friands are utterly moreish.

We used Pedro Ximnez sherry, a dark syrupy style of sherry with a complex taste, however any sweet style is suitable. Note

Topped with passionfruit glaze icing and sprinkles, these fluffy banana cupcakes are perfect for kids' parties.

Keeping time: 3 days. Note

This recipe celebrates the classic scone by keeping the ingredients and flavours simple.

Delight your child with this gorgeous (and easy) orange birthday cake.

The flavours of freshly ground walnuts and sweet lemon go together beautifully in this simple cake.

Covered in lollies and heart-shaped lollipops, this impressive crown cake is sure to be a hit.

Sweetened with maple syrup and served with whipped maple butter, this moist date loaf is the perfect afternoon tea cake.

The kids will love these fun domino cakes decorated with licorice strips and M&Ms. Get the party goers to build their own real domino chain to topple at the end of the party.

Scones are a classic in the United Kingdom but have also quickly gained popularity throughout the world, especially for high tea.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a thick buttered slice of this lovely spiced carrot cake.

These tasty savoury corn and chive muffins are easy to make are are great as an on-the-go snack or healthy lunch box treat.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this indulgent combination of honey, chocolate and crunchy almond.

Fill your house with the irresistible scent of apple and cinnamon with these divine little loaves.

These wafer-thin biscuits are perfect with a cup of hot chocolate or strong espresso.

These little fibre-packed cookies are the perfect treat to add to a school lunch box or for an afternoon treat.

Celebrate eight with this gorgeous yellow birthday cake decorated with edible orange flowers.

These muesli bars are the perfect after-school snack for kids on the go. They are packed full of the protein of peanut butter and energy-boosting honey.

date and orange; fruit and spice (top tier) basic; choc chip and walnut (bottom tier) Note

The lightness and flakiness of this delicious pastry is created during the rolling and folding process. The caramelised apples provide the perfect not-too-sweet topping. Serve with cream and enjoy.

You can't go past a moist chocolate cake topped with chocolate fudge icing.

Broderie anglaise, French for `English embroidery', is characterised by cutwork, lace and small eyelet patterns, just like we've used in this cake.

Stunning and simple, this fruit cake tastes just like Christmas.

This cute birthday cake is perfect for a little girl or boy who are excited about turning nine!

Substitute the banana with thinly sliced strawberries. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup, if desired. Note

Rich, indulgent and utterly delicious, this chocolate fudge cake deserves to be shared among good friends.

The German term for "sprinkle", a streusel is great to have with tea or coffee mid-morning on a chilly weekend, and this one's rhubarb and apple filling gives it a wonderfully homely flavour.

Heat ungreased gem irons in hot oven for 5 minutes just before use; grease with cooking oil spray. Note

So popular is this delectable French biscuit, that it has its own day on which it is celebrated. March 20 is unofficially 'Macaron Day', and participating bakeries offer customers free samples. With this recipe, you can make your own!

There is a little more involved here than simply mixing berries into cupcake batter, but the results are absolutely stunning and delicious.

These gluten-free coconut, almond and berry cupcakes make the perfect sweet treat with a cup of tea.

A slice of this dense, zesty cake goes wonderfully with a dollop of yoghurt.

Walk into any French patisserie and you will be greeted by a feast for the eyes. Among the delights you will surely see the delicate galette, topped with any variety of fruit; we've chosen mango and coconut cream

Filled with jam and cream, these elegant little cakes are simply delectable, with a cherry on top.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a slice of this old-fashioned spiced sponge roll, just like Gran used to make.

Get the kids helping in the kitchen with these adorable funny face cupcakes.

Take one packet of chocolate cake mix, add bit of creativity and voila! A beautiful looking layered chocolate cake laced with Grand Marnier and sweet ricotta, decorated with toasted almonds.

Tia Maria and Kahlua are both coffee-flavoured liqueurs and would work well in this recipe. Serve it up as a special grown-up treat along with your afternoon cuppa with friends.

The perfect balance of sweet, salty and crunchy, these delicious caramel peanut hearts are the perfect weekend snack, or gift for loved ones.

With a crunchy coconut topping, these fluffy banana muffins go perfectly with that morning or afternoon cuppa.

Moist, fresh and earthy, this cake owes all of its finer points to the inclusion of the beetroot.

With hints of cardamom and orange, this rustic cake is delicious for a winter afternoon tea or dessert. Cardamom is one of the world's most expensive spices; it has a distinctive aromatic, sweetly rich flavour and is widely available.

There's something divine about the tanginess of lemon curd coupled with freshly made pikelets. Easy to make, they're the ideal mid-morning or afternoon snack.

Sometimes nicknamed “yuppie Vegemite”, this classic Provençal preparation is used as a dip for raw vegetables, spread on bread and pizza, and served with fish and meats. Note

These crunchy Italian treats are perfect with hot espresso coffee.

Drizzled in sweet passionfruit icing, this delectable tart is perfect with a morning or afternoon cup of tea.

The frittata can be made a day ahead, and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

This date loaf comes out tremendously moist and is great served fresh with melted butter, but also keeps nicely for a rainy day.

EQUIPMENT 30cm x 40cm (12-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board You can use butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting. We used a variety of different jubes to get different shapes. Note

This impressive cake is brought to you by the classic Australian Women's Weekly birthday cake cookbook.

Drizzled in sweet toffee, these almond and cranberry wreath biscuits make wonderful Christmas gifts.

The addition of pecans to these brown sugar biscuits adds a sophisticated flavour and texture. They're dead easy to make; the kids could do it with minimal supervision.

With a cinnamon-spiked plum and prune filling, these almond crescents are the perfect sweet treat with tea or coffee.

When a recipe says “cut” the liquid through the dry ingredients, it means don’t stir, just use a knife quickly and lightly to draw the knife through the flour, so moistening the dry ingredients as lightly as possible. This is done to stop you overworking the flour — which causes tough scones. Note

This fruit cake is deliciously moist and looks beautiful decorated with almonds. It can last up to 12 months, but we think you'll polish it off well before then.

The cheesecake will sink slightly in the centre during baking. Store the cheesecake in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for 1 week. Note

Slathered with chocolate cream frosting, these divine little coconut chocolate cakes make an excellent afternoon tea treat.