Baking

Croissants are by far the most famous of all the French pastries and are made using a butter-rich flaky pastry. In France they usually eat them just with jam, while around the world they have become popular filled with both savoury and sweet fillings. If you prefer, you can replace the fontina with a good-quality […]

Use a clean piping and tube for each different coloured meringue. Note

Use frangelico (hazelnut) or crème de cacao (chocolate) flavoured liqueurs. Cut cakes with a serrated knife. Note

Ginger wine, a beverage that is 14% alcohol by volume, has the piquant taste of fresh ginger.You can substitute it with dry (white) vermouth, if you prefer. Any type or combination of glace fruit can be used in this recipe. Note

A moist and delicious Greek apple cake that is traditionally eaten for breakfast.

Use fresh raspberries if fresh blackberries are not available. Place the unused vanilla pod in a jar of caster (superfine) sugar to make your own vanilla sugar. Note

This recipe is also gluten-free. Note

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. We used snapper in this recipe, but you can use any white firm-fleshed fish you like. Note

A filling, classic, healthy muffin that is simple to prepare. Note

Pink petal dust can be purchased at specialty baking or cake-decorating shops. Note

Flaked coconut can be bought from a store which stocks Indian and Fijian food. Note

A light and fluffy strawberries and cream sponge cake with visually stunning layers.

The perfect Asian starter dish; homemade spring rolls.

See if you can get the 6 orange strips and 2 teaspoons of rind from 1 orange, otherwise you may need to buy 2 small oranges. This recipe makes 6 ­ freeze the remaining 4 muffins for later use. Note

Ballerina cake toppers are available from cake decorating suppliers, or top with tiny ballerina dolls from toy stores. Note

Tender roast lamb with a fragrant herb rub and burghul salad.

You need 1 large (230g) overripe banana to get the amount of mashed banana required for this recipe. Note

Éclairs are best made on day of serving, but do not fill until ready to serve. Unfilled éclairs can be frozen. Note

Clarissa the cow is out in the paddock, eating the flowers and generally getting into all kinds of mischief. Note

Place any leftover lime leaves in a resealable plastic bag and freeze for another use. Add three or four to a curry, scrunching the leaves first to release the flavour; toss thinly sliced leaves through a tropical fruit salad; or add sliced leaves to a jug of iced water for a refreshing citrus flavour. Mango […]

You can find artificial spider’s web at novelty shops. If you can’t find it, use fairy floss or cotton wool instead. Be sure to remove spider’s web or cotton wool and skewers before cutting and serving the cake. You will need approximately 3 x 100g bars of Toblerone for this cake. Note

Sometimes called Indian blood plum, the large plum used in this recipe has a distinctive dark red to purple fibrous flesh, is extremely juicy, pleasantly sweet, and is the plum most often found canned. Canned apricots or peaches can be substituted for the plums. A delicious time-and waist-saving recipe. Note

Flavoured Milk Bottles can be found in packets of Allen’s Milk Bottle Mania; you will need about 3 x 170g packets. Note

The taste of this loose-crumbed pineapple and coconut cake will instantly transport you to the seventies when a piña colada was 'the' cocktail.

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

You need two passionfruit for this recipe. 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

Take the traditional Anzac Day biscuit recipe, and add in crunchy Australian macadamia nuts and you'll have yourself a delicious sweet treat for any time of the year.

Tart will keep in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to three days. Note

More fun and delicious animal cupcakes that the whole family will love.

You will have a lot of royal icing left over, use it for making snow on the trees, if you like. Note

We used large (25cm diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. It’s important to slice the potatoes as thinly as possible. Note

If you have an electric mixer with a dough hook you can use it to knead the dough for 5 minutes. Rolls are best served slightly warm on the day of baking. They are not suitable to freeze. Note

A beautiful and flavour-packed sardines with preserved lemon salsa from Australian Women's Weekly.

Available at some nurseries, rose geranium is an aromatic member of the geranium family. Use the leaves to scent a madeira or butter cake, before baking, line cake pan with leaves. The tart shell is suitable to freeze. Note

You will need to make this recipe the day before. You will need about 8 passionfruit for this recipe. You can substitute canned passionfruit pulp, if you like, however to compensate for the sugar added during canning add a teaspoon or two of lime juice. This recipe can be made up to 1 week ahead, […]

Garlic is easy to roast and has a more mellow taste than it does raw or fried. Make it and freeze it by the tablespoon wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Roasted garlic beaten with softened butter adds a whole new dimension of flavour to mashed potato or steamed corn cobs. Note

One-year-olds may be too young to eat the cachous, but they’ll certainly love the cake. Tiny heart-, star-, moon- and other-shaped cutters are sometimes sold as aspic cutters. Note

Brioche, hot cross buns or fruit loaf can be substituted for the panettone. Note

A bright, colourful and fragrant saffron vegetable tagine with cinnamon and preserved lemon.

You need to cook 1kg pumpkin for the amount of mashed pumpkin needed. You can decorate this cake with Chinese candied ginger strips, available from Asian grocers. Note

Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. Note

Rice paper is a fine, edible paper; contrary to popular belief, it is not actually made from rice, but from the pith of a small tree that grows in Asia. Rice paper can be found in specialist-food stores and some delicatessens. Note

Pinky bunny is a small cute cake, ­just enough for a small cute person’s birthday. You’ll have ½ cup of the cake mixture left over, enough for another mini loaf. Note

This yummy potato dish works well as a side, a starter, finger food or a bring-a-plate contribution. It can also be adapted to a vegetarian-only option.

Use cooking chocolate, but work quickly when tinting and feathering, as it may set faster than eating chocolate. Make ahead: Assemble the cake 1 hour before serving. Store in the fridge. Note

Sweet and crumbly, this divine apple crumble cake is beautiful enjoyed warm or cold for afternoon tea.