Picnic

Also known as Melonade, a light, sparkling summer drink that is super refreshing.

These bite-sized Portuguese custard tarts are sweet, eggy and utterly moreish. Best served with really good coffee, they make a delicious afternoon tea-time treat.

Crunchy golden coconut, pecans and brown sugar make a divine topping for this luscious pineapple cake. It's lovely served still warm with a drizzle of cream.

Coconutty crumble is the perfect topping for the rich fruit filling of this date and lemon slice, a true tea-time classic.

Nutty parmesan is the perfect accompaniment to fresh, crisp sliced fennel.

For an easy, elegant dessert, try these decadent sandwiches of golden puff pastry, juicy berries and custard cream.

Roasting stone fruits intensifies their flavour as well as drawing out their natural sweetness, which helps make this roast nectarine tart exceedingly delicious. Serve warm with lashings of cream.

Treacle is sweeter than molasses, but not as sweet as golden syrup, and it has a slightly bitter taste. If you don't have any treacle you can make these little gingerbread loaves with golden syrup but may want to remove one tablespoon of sugar from the recipe.

Bruschetta is one of those classic dishes that's welcome at just about any meal, from a late breakfast to a late night snack. This garlicky goat's cheese version is a creamy, tasty winner.

These chewy almond macaroons are made in the traditional Italian style and are absolutely delicious served with hot espresso coffee.

Burnt butter adds a gourmet edge to this delicious apple cake. Perfect for an afternoon tea-party, or just because you fancy something special on the weekend.

This recipe can be made a week ahead. Note

Smoked chicken lends its unique taste to this crisp pear and radicchio salad with a red wine vinaigrette. If the flavour of smoked chicken isn't a favourite, use a store-bought barbecue chicken in its place.

This crisp, biscotti-style chocolate almond bread makes a satisfying snap when you bite into it. Unless, of course, it's thoroughly dunked in your coffee first.

A traditional baba tin is the best option for this zesty lime syrup cake, but you can use an ordinary ring or loaf tin.

You can add a small fresh chilli to each jar if you like your oven-dried tomatoes spicy. Egg tomatoes are perfect for this recipe as they don't have many seeds, but you can use any variety just make sure you choose ripe unblemished tomatoes.

Studded with whole, poached pears, this vanilla pear and almond cake makes a spectacular centrepiece for any table. Serve while still warm with double or clotted cream for a delicious end to a meal.

These fruity, wholemeal muesli muffins are packed full of healthy grains and tasty craisins. Mashed banana helps keep them moist for days. They make an excellent lunch-box treat.

Cut yourself a big slice of this light and fluffy almond, honey and sweet spiced cake to enjoy as morning or afternoon tea with a cup of your favourite brew.

This is a beautiful cake, the combination of tart quince, sweet blackberries, delicate sponge and crumble is unusual and exquisite. Quince and blackberry crumble cake is the perfect tea-time indulgence.

Piled high with fluffy frosting, cloud cakes are as light and dreamy as their name suggests. Add a dash of colour by sprinkling them with coloured sugar.

Soaked in orange syrup, this flourless orange polenta cake is delicious with a dollop of whipped cream or yoghurt. If you want to kick it up a gear, stir one tablespoon of brandy into the syrup just before you pour it on the cake.

Dried mix fruit is the perfect healthy snack for the kids to nibble on at school or at home.

Orange and poppy seeds is a classic combination for friands, you can liven it up by using mandarin instead.

Sweet, golden and crunchy, these beautiful coffee snaps are brilliant enjoyed with a hot cuppa for afternoon or morning tea.

Passionfruit is an often underrated fruit but you won't be forgetting its sweet flavours anytime soon with this creamy buttermilk cake and syrupy passionfruit icing.

These mini choc chip friands can be made a day ahead if you're baking to entertain, and go down a treat with a cup of good coffee. They also freeze well, just don't ice them beforehand.

An Asian twist on chicken burgers, with sweet pickled cucumber and spicy wasabi mayonnaise. Great for mid-week dinner or weekend lunch.

The perfect balance between sweet and tart, this divine lemon coconut slice is beautiful served with a hot cuppa for an indulgent morning or afternoon treat.

Blood oranges are in season for all too short a time in winter. They have red-streaked, salmony-coloured flesh with a sweet, non-acidic pulp and juice with a slight berry taste; even the skin is not as bitter as other citrus. Note

A super fast and easy recipe for classic hot cross scones with the distinctive chocolate cross on top.

It is important to slice pears as thinly as possible; if the slices are too thick, the cake will sink in the centre. Note

The gherkins will lose their colour gradually during storage. This does not affect their taste or texture in any way. Note

The imported tube pan we used in this recipe is available from speciality cook ware shops. It measures 21cm across the base and has a 4 litre fluid capacity. The mixture needs to cling to the tube pan so it is important not to grease it. To remove cake from the tube pan, run a […]

You can use thinly sliced gluten-free bacon instead of the pancetta, if you like. Note

You will need about 4 passionfruit for this recipe. Note

Give cereal a miss and try these prosciutto and feta baked eggs instead!

Delicate coffee biscuit hearts, smothered in chocolate either side of a generous dollop of mocha cream will have you feeling the love.

Roasted zucchini, eggplant and capsicum can be bought loose from delis, making the job even easier. Slice the stick as close to serving time as possible. Note

In this barbecued chicken recipe the segmented chicken is seasoned with delicious Mexican spices and served with grilled corn cobs and seared lime cheeks.

Give the traditional gingerbread people an Aussie spin with these adorable gingerbread biscuits dressed in their togs!

Take care not to over-mix the batter. 16 strokes is usually enough to achieve the rough appearance and texture of muffins. Note

This simple salad will be all the better for using a good quality aged balsamic vinegar in the dressing. The flavour will be more intense and the consistency more syrupy than those of younger balsamic vinegars. Note

This cake is another one perfect to take to school, or picnic — or any outdoor party. Note

Salad is best prepared on the day of serving. The potatoes can be served warm or cold. Note

To use preserved lemon, remove and discard the pulp, squeeze the juice from the rind, then rinse the rind well; chop the rind finely. If preferred, substitute 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon rind at each stage for the preserved lemon. Note

Coleslaw is a great crunchy addition to sandwiches. It can have just about anything in it as long as shredded cabbage is the chief ingredient. Most coleslaws also have grated carrot and a mayonnaise or vinegar (or both) dressing. Note

Try layering various herb leaves, such as sage, inside the potato wafers. You can also use russet burbank or spunta potatoes for this recipe. Note

A delicious filo pastry pie that will fill the bellies of your entire family (and more!)

An essential on pub menus across the UK, a ploughman’s lunch is at its most basic, cheese, pickle of some kind and bread. It’s thought to have originated as a ploughboy’s lunch, but variations on the theme are wide, with cold meats and vegetables now common features. Any combination of cheese and pickles will work […]

Pie can be prepared a day ahead. Note

You can substitute dried apricots or apple rings for the dried pears, if you like. Note

Risotto cakes came about as a way of using up left-over risotto. It is far easier to shape the cakes when the mixture is cold. It is worth lining oven trays with baking paper to stop the cakes sticking. Note

You can make the prawn mixture a day ahead. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Assemble sandwiches on the day and store, covered with damp absorbent paper, in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to go. Note

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

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

The classic reuben was always assembled then cooked in a frying pan. Making one in your sandwich press not only saves on washing up but keeps it slightly healthier because the bread doesn’t have to be buttered on the outside as for pan-frying. Plus, the cheese melts inside the sandwich without oozing out into the […]

It’s important to use regular honey in the matzo cake, not the easy-to-pour liquefied version Note

Use any rice you like for this recipe, just make sure it’s cooked properly so every grain is separate. You could use about 3½ cups of cold leftover rice if you happen to have it, if not cook, rinse and drain the rice the day before the picnic. Keep the rice in the fridge. Assemble […]

If kipfler potatoes are unavailable you can use baby new potatoes. You could also use aïoli, a garlic mayonnaise, instead of plain mayonnaise, and lemon juice instead of warm water to jazz this salad up. Note

Aïoli can be made easily at home: Combine ½ cup whole-egg mayonnaise and 1 crushed garlic clove in a small bowl. Season to taste. Note