Scrumptious little pizza snacks with cherry bocconcini cheese and cabanossi.

The cake mix is enough to make 12 cakes so you can decorate the remaining 6 cakes into other animals of your own choosing. Note

EQUIPMENT Oven trays 6cm heart cutter paper piping bag 30cm square or round cake board The gingerbread house can be assembled 3 days ahead. Bake gingerbread a day before it’s required and store in an airtight container. Secure the roof panels to the birdhouse with royal icing; hold in place until set. Secure the walls […]

Keeping time: 2 days. Note

Recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Note

Fill macarons just before serving. If the marmalade is too chunky or thick to spread, warm it, strain it, and leave it to cool before using. Note

You will need about 1 bunch of rhubarb for this recipe. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

These scones are at their very best made just before serving. Eat them hot, straight out of the oven. Note

Crab meat can be bought already cooked from some fishmongers. Alternatively buy cooked crabs (about 600g) and remove the flesh from the shells and claws – enough to weigh 200g. Well-drained canned crab meat could be used in this recipe. Note

We used sebago potatoes in this recipe. Note

You can use 8 x 6cm-square (3.5cm-deep) ready-made lamingtons, if preferred. Note

Celebrate Chinese New Year with a special message for your friends and family. Cut 12 paper strips measuring 1.5cm x 8cm (¾-inch x 3¼-inch); write a message on each strip. Do this before starting to make the cookies. If the cookie cools and hardens too quickly before you have time to shape it, return it, […]

A slab of American-style pork spareribs will consist of between 7 and 10 ribs each. After the meat is cooked, separate the ribs with a knife then eat them in your hands. Note

M'hanncha, a Moroccan almond pastry, means `the snake' and this coiled sweet pastry treat certainly represents that.

Equipment; 20cm x 30cm rectangular cake pan; 30cm x 40cm rectangular cake board. Note

Impress your Christmas guests this year with a perfectly-created cake, thanks to this beautiful rich hazelnut fruit cake recipe. Happy baking!

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Note

The secret for making perfect roast potatoes? Use olive oil instead of other oils or butter because it tolerates high oven temperatures better and gives a delicious taste to the potatoes.

You need an 80cm length of 50mm diameter PVC pipe, cut into 10cm lengths; ask the hardware store to do this for you, or use a hacksaw. This recipe will also fit into six 10cm round springform tins or a 24cm springform tin. Note

These delicious and crunchy little garlic and chive croûtons will spruce up any leafy salad.

Make these bite-sized wonders.

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

There are usually 22 sheets of pastry in a 375g (12-ounce) packet of fillo pastry. Dried lavender flowers are available from spice shops and online. Note

Chicken mixture can be made the day before and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

A rich, slowcooked French casserole with lamb, white beans, streaky bacon and crushed tomatoes.

If the birthday person is mad about cats, this enigmatic creation will be… purrfection Note

Eastern and Western cuisines collide in this delicious baked dish of curried pumpkin and lentil crêpes.

Known variously throughout the Middle East and North Africa as basboosa, namoura or harisi, this sweet slice is saturated with a citrusy sugar syrup which gives it a lovely individual flavour. Note

siena cake is a perfect accompaniment for after-dinner coffee. Cut into thin wedges or slices about 1cm thick,then into small pieces Note

An easy way to make sure your toffee is cooked to the correct stage and will set hard, is to use a sugar thermometer. Toffee should reach 149°C (“hard crack” stage) on the thermometer. Red delicious are the best apples to use for this recipe. Note

This is a great way to jazz up average pastries or to use 1-2 day-old croissants and pains au chocolat.

These pork, fennel and fig sausage rolls will be the most gourmet snack at the party.

You need only slender small servings of this ultra-rich cake, which is why we’ve chosen to bake it in a lamington pan. The layer of marzipan in the middle keeps the cake moist as well as adding to the flavour. Buy the best marzipan (or almond paste) you can find. Note

You will need about 2 raw potatoes (185g) for this recipe. Keeping time: 2 days. Note

Saffron is obtained from the stigmas of the saffron crocus and it is famously the most expensive spice in the world. Note

Unbaked scones can be frozen for up to a month. Bake them from the freezer, adding about 10 minutes to the baking time. 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

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

Place pastries on trays; brush with egg, sprinkle with seeds. Bake about 15 minutes or until browned lightly. Combine ingredients in medium bowl. Parmesan cheese can be used instead of romano cheese. Pastries can be served warm or cold. Uncooked pastries are suitable to freeze. It is best to cut pastry into the 26 rounds […]

We used green, orange and yellow paper muffin cases to match the decorations of these lovely cakes. Note

For a lower-fat version, use no-fat milk and low-fat dairy-free spread instead of the butter. Piroshki are small Russian dumplings that can have various savoury or sweet fillings but this one is among the most traditional. Baked or fried, they make excellent hors d’oeuvres. Note

Equipment: 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular cake pan, 35cm x 40cm (14-inch x 16-inch) rectangular cake board, wooden skewer and toothpicks. Note

14cm x 21cm (5½-inch x 8½-inch)loaf pan 20cm x 30cm (8-inch x 12-inch) rectangular prepared cake board (page 172) Shaping bath Shaping inside of bath Making rolled edge of bath The bath tub, feet and tap (plus handles) can be completed up to two days ahead of the party. The water (fluffy frosting) is best […]

These tarts must be served warm to be enjoyed at their best. Serve with a good dollop of cream, if you like. Note

artist’s fine paint brush 3.5cm (1½-inch) round cutter 12 plain white paper cases large plastic disposable piping bag The cupcakes stale quickly so it’s best to use a fruit or mud cake for the best keeping qualities. The cakes can be made and frozen for 3 months. The monograms can be prepared at least a […]

You can also use lime or blood orange marmalade. Note

Patch any gaps in the top, sides and base of cake with a little icing. Brush top and sides evenly with a little jam. Note

Depending on the variety of quince used, some will turn more of a rusty red colour while others a deep crimson. Also, cooking time can vary between types, with some needing a little longer cooking to achieve a red hue. Note

If you can’t buy char-grilled zucchini, you can make your own; use a mandoline or vegetable peeler to thinly slice one large zucchini lengthways, then cook the slices on a heated oiled grill plate until browned lightly and tender. Pizza bases can be bought at any regular supermarkets. 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

Equipment: 3 x 12-hole (-cup/80ml) muffin pans 36 square cupcake cases 2 disposable piping bags fitted with a 1cm plain tube 45cm-square covered cake board Decorations: 36 NESTLE Melts White Cooking Compound chocolate Piping gel 5 ALLEN’S SNAKES ALIVE 3 x 25g packets WONKA NERDS Ropes Wash and dry the piping tube between colours. If […]