A mint pattie is a round chocolate-coated confectionery with a soft peppermint centre. It is available from most supermarkets. You may also use Griffin’s mint treat bites if mint pattie’s are not available. Note

This recipe also makes 6 texas muffins (¾-cup/180ml); bake about 35 minutes. Note

A crispy baked pumpkin and ricotta dish that is a great healthy side to go with meaty dishes.

Old-fashioned cast gem irons are available from specialty cookware shops or second-hand shops. Note

Mad about marmalade? Then, this muffin is for you. Marmalades come in a range of flavours sweet through to bitter and everything in between. Try a bitter marmalade first, it teams so well with the almonds and the sweetness of the syrup. 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, […]

Keeping time: 4 days. Note

Pastry pieces can be cooked a day ahead; reheat in the oven at 180°C about 5 minutes before assembling. The filling is best made just before serving. Note

Demerara or raw sugar can be used instead of coffee crystals. All of these sugars add a crunchy texture to the muffins. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free. Note

You will need about two bunches of rhubarb for this recipe. To spread the second layer of cake batter over the crumble, without mixing the two, dollop the batter into each corner first, then gently spread the batter toward the centre. Note

A beautifully bright and colourful rainbow salad packed full of beetroot, asparagus, orange and avocado.

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

This recipe also makes 12 standard muffins (⅓-cup/80ml capacity holes). Bake cakes for 20 minutes. Note

A fun and delicious gingerbread man that is great for kid's parties.

You can find both pepitas and craisins in most supermarkets. Rolled rice is available from health food stores or the health food section of your local supermarket. Note

Mesclun is a gourmet salad mixture of assorted young green leaves, including baby spinach, mizuna, curly endive and coral lettuce, substitute baby rocket (arugula) or baby spinach leaves if you can’t find mesclun. Note

Crispy potato wedges with a light and summery sun-dried tomato pesto.

Fruit mince is a mixture of dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas and candied peel, nuts, spices, apple, brandy or rum. It is used as a filling for cakes, puddings and fruit mince pies. Note

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

Sick of grandma's roast? Try this exquisite Moroccan roast chicken with olives and preserved lemon.

Sugar flowers of many shapes, sizes and colours can be bought from most supermarkets and cake decorating shops. Note

You’ll be prouder than a peacock when you present this cake at the party. The design is mainly in the placement of the lollies. Note

A hearty cassoulet with delicate chicken breast and merguez, a spicy North African sausage.

Allen’s Racing Cars and Pineapples can be found in Allen’s Teeth `n’ Stuff, Retro Party Mix and Classic Party Mix. Note

White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. You can draw the inner ear, mouth, eye and iris patterns onto cardboard and use these templates to cut the shapes from icing. Be sure to remove toothpicks […]

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 […]

If using frozen berries, use them unthawed, this will minimise “bleeding” of the colour into the mixture. Muffins can be frozen either individually wrapped in foil or together in a sealed container for up to 3 months. To thaw frozen muffins, either place muffins on an oven tray covered with foil, or wrap individual muffins […]

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

You will need about 3 large overripe bananas for this recipe; mash 2 of them for enough mashed banana. Note

This playful, and friendly, looking monster will keep the little ones amused with its bright, cheery colours and smiling face. Note

Tender pork loin stuffed with capsicum and ciabatta crumb and served with a rosemary gravy.

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

If vanilla bean paste is hard to find, you can use 3 teaspoons vanilla extract instead. Note

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

17 paddle pop sticks halved crossways are needed for this recipe. Note

Pre-baked, packaged pizza bases first appeared in supermarkets during the 1980s. They come in various sizes, some with cheese already in the mix. You need to purchase a large barbecued chicken weighing approximately 900g to get the amount of shredded meat required for this recipe. Note

If you don’t like heavy fruit cake, this light fruit cake may just hit the spot. Note

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

White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops Tiny heart cutters are sometimes sold as `aspic cutters’. We’ve scattered Allen’s Sour Rush Jelly Beans, Allen’s Milk Bottle Mania and Nestlé Melts White Cooking Compound around the […]

This cake can also be made in a deep 18cm (7¼-inch) square cake pan. Note

Instead of individual dishes, use a single large shallow 3-litre (12-cup) baking dish for this recipe. The cooking time will be the same. Note

Some butchers sell a pork and veal mince mixture, which is what we call for here. If it is not available as a mixture, buy 500g pork mince and 500g veal or lean beef mince. This recipe is suitable to freeze at the end of step 4. Note

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

Equipment: Deep 30cm-round cake pan 2 x 20cm x 30cm lamington pans 2 bamboo skewers 3cm, 4cm, 6cm and 9cm-round cutters 40cm x 1m prepared cake board Decorations 3 rainbow sour straps, cut yellow strips from strap 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 […]

Postre chajá was created by the owner of a family restaurant in Uruguay. He called his mergingue-based dessert ‘chajá’ after an indigenous bird of the same name, whose abundant white plumage reminded him of the meringue. For even cake layers, weigh the cake batter and put exactly half into each cake pan. Cake can be […]

White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes). It is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. Note

Assemble pastries no more than an hour before serving, refrigerate until required. Note

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

Flakey baked fish is topped with herbs and crunchy macadamias to create a flavour and texture explosion! Served with lemon infused fresh avocado and snow peas, this is is a beautiful complete dish that can be ready in under 30 minutes.

Filling can be made a day ahead. Store, covered, in the fridge. Note

Equipment Deep 15cm (6-inch) square cake pan 25cm (10-inch) square prepared cake board If the icing is set on the cake, you can attach the roses using a tiny dab of apricot jam. The ribbon is easier to tie around the cake if the icing is set. The cake can be completed about three days […]

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as roman or cremini, are light-to darkbrown in colour with a full bodied flavour. Store on a tray in a single layer, covered with damp, absorbent paper and keep where cool air can circulate around them. Note

Glacé fruit salad is available from specialty food stores and some cheese counters. If unavailable, substitute glacé peaches, apricots or oranges. Note

Soufflés must be made just before serving. Note

Rollmops are herring fillets wrapped around a slice of gherkin, red capsium and/or onion preserved in a spiced vinegar brine. 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