Friands are not meant to be light and airy, so the last thing you want to do is whisk air into the mixture. Note

You’ll have about 1 1/2 cup of the cake mixture left over; make more noughts and crosses cakes for your guests. This is a very easy birthday cake to make; it is suitable for boys and girls alike. You can make it in any colour you like. Note

Equipment: 30cm square wooden cake board, 15cm square wooden cake board, 10cm square woode cake board, smoothing tools, 2.5cm, 3cm and 3.5cm perspex measures, fine artist’s paint brush, stitching tool, 8 wooden skewers, 3 paper piping bags, vinyl mat tape measure, cotton wool. Use perspex measure to measure sides of cakes for lids. Press the […]

If you don’t have metal skewers, use bamboo skewers ­ soak them in cold water while the prawns are in the fridge. Note

Cooking salt is coarser than table salt, but not as large-flaked as sea salt: it is sold packaged in bags in most supermarkets. Note

Dumplings can be assembled, then frozen in an airtight container up to a week ahead. Steam dumplings for 12 minutes from frozen. Soup dumplings or xialongbao, as they are called Yum Cha restaurants, are a shanghainese speciality. They are commonly filled with minced pork and a firm, gelatine-rich stock, which turns to a soup when […]

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

Don’t slice the strawberries too thinly or they will fall apart during refrigeration. Note

It is fine to use just the one 300ml carton of cream for this recipe. To make chocolate shapes: melt 50g (1½ ounces) dark chocolate; place into a resealable plastic bag. Cut a tiny snip off onecorner, and pipe small shapes onto baking paper. Leave shapes to set at room temperature. Note

If the dough feels soft after rolling out, refrigerate for about 15 minutes before cutting out shapes. Fill boxes with anything you like, chocolates, candy canes, lollies or biscuits ­ they would all make a great gift. Instead of using a paper piping bag, place the melted chocolate into a zip-top plastic bag and cut […]

This basic fruit mix is enough to make a pudding (boiled or steamed) large enough to serve 10 people, a regular-sized cake and a dozen mince pies. Note

You will need to buy one bunch of spinach (300g) to make this recipe. Note

If the pesto is a little too thick for your liking, thin it down with a little olive oil before drizzling over the salmon. Note

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

Traditionally this recipe is known as char kway teow. Dried chinese sausages, also called lop chong, are usually made from pork. They are red-brown in colour and sweet-spicy in flavour. They are available in all Asian grocery stores. Note

Labne can be left to drain and thicken, still weighted, in the fridge for up to three days. Note

Nam jim is a generic term for a thai dipping sauce. Most versions include fish sauce and chillies, but the remaining ingredients are up to the cook’s discretion. Note

You’ll need six small wooden skewers for this recipe. Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before using to prevent them splintering and scorching during cooking. Use dried oregano if you can’t find rigani. Note

The amount of milk you need to add to this scone dough depends on the water content of the pumpkin. The amount you add will vary every time you make these scones. Note

This colourful cake is perfect for little kids who love building sand castles and exploring the beach.

Use regular golden syrup for this recipe, not the squeezable bottles, as this has a lighter texture. Note

We used a 35cm x 45cm oval plastic serving platter for the pond; a shallow cake pan, baking dish or shallow casserole dish would also work, depending on the number of frogs you need for the party. You will have about 1 cup of cake mixture left over ­enough for another five frogs. Note

Meringues can be made one day ahead, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Note

Pide is a Turkish-style pizza, usually stuffed with a spiced lamb filling.

Use a wooden spoon to make a whirlpool in the water before adding the egg, if you like; however, it’s best to poach just one egg at a time this way, as it gets a bit tricky whirl pooling the water once there’s more than one egg in it. Note

Verjuice is available in delicatessens and supermarkets; it’s usually found in the vinegar aisle. It’s made from unripe grapes and has a slightly acidic taste. Ask the butcher to cut the rabbit into pieces. Note

Tasty Moroccan-spiced flavours make this chicken casserole unique and a great option for a hearty dinner.

Standing the custards in a dish filled with ice cubes keeps the custards from melting while the sugar is caramelising under the grill. Of course, if you have a cooking blowtorch, use that instead. Note

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

Watch their eyes light up for this happy, smiling flower. 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 can also make this pastry using a food processor. Process flour, icing sugar, ginger and butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk and enough of the water to make ingredients just come together. Knead gently on floured surface until smooth. You need 1 small papaya (650g) for this recipe. Note

Equipment needed: 9cm heart cutter, 20cm 18-gauge floral wire, wire cutters, 35cm round wooden cake board, 20cm round wooden cake board, 15cm round wooden cake board, smoothing tools, 6 wooden cake skewers, and a paper piping bag. The hearts can be made weeks ahead; store in an airtight container. Position them on the day of […]

Substitute red curry paste for green curry paste if you prefer. Note

Unlike the cream-laden carbonara that many of us are familiar with, traditional carbonara is not made with any cream. We’ve slightly altered the traditional carbonara recipe by adding peas, if you prefer your pasta pea-free, simply omit them from the recipe Note

Fajita seasoning spice mix adds an authentic Mexican flavour to foods; it is a blend of herbs and spices, and may include cumin, chilli, garlic, capsicum, oregano, coriander and onion. Use a mild chilli seasoning, if you prefer. Beef eye fillet can be expensive, buy beef strips or stir-fry beef to make this a cheap […]

This recipe makes a lot of little one-bite shortbreads. If you like, make 50 shortbreads and freeze the remaining log, wrapped in baking paper then plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and baking. You will need to halve the butter cream frosting if only baking 50 shortbreads. […]

Rich and delicious French morsels that will have everyone coming back for more.

Leftover risotto makes great risotto cakes; simply shape cold risotto into patties, then pan-fry until browned lightly on both sides. Note

As the name suggests, pound cakes originally consisted of a pound each of sugar, butter, flour and eggs, which made them very large cakes.

Use regular mince, not lean, for a more juicy result. This starter is quite hearty and you may only require a lighter main such as a soup or salad. This would serve 4 as a main meal. Note

Substitutes: use whole roasted almonds instead of hazelnuts. Note

A small, spicy sausage ­ eaten throughout North Africa and Spain ­ merguez is traditionally made with lamb meat and is easily identified by its chilli-red colour. Merguez can be found in many butchers, delicatessens and sausage specialty stores, but any spicy sausage can be used in this recipe. Note

Possums without eyes can be made up to two days ahead. Pipe eyes on the day of serving. Note

A hit with every coconut lover, this slice just improves with age. It can also be made as tartlets. Note

Brown rice vinegar, made from brown rice, has been called the eastern version of apple cider vinegar, although its mild flavour has a subtle sweetness and about half the sharpness. It is available from Asian grocery stores and some health-food stores Note

Delicious little cupcakes that are the perfect treat to celebrate graduation day!

You will need about six passionfruit for this recipe. Remaining passionfruit curd is delicious spread on scones or used as a filling for pavlovas. These tarts are best made on the day of serving. Note

Corella pears have only a short season, if they’re not available use thinly sliced apple, red-skinned look best instead. Note

Do ahead The tart and dressing can be made a day ahead. Refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Don’t be concerned if the cooked tart has small cracks in the top these will be covered by the salad. Note

It's 9am on a Saturday, and the party crowd's already here. Birthday parties... it's about food, friends and making memories.

Chinese cooking wine is also known as chinese rice wine, dry sherry can be used instead. To freeze Complete the recipe to the end of step 1. Pack into freezer-proof containers, leaving a 2.5cm (1 inch) space to allow for expansion. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. […]

You can use ½ cup dry sherry with ½ cup water instead of the chinese cooking wine. This dish is suitable to freeze at the end of step 1. 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

One-year-olds may be too young to eat these colourful Smarties, but they will love the cake. Note

You can substitute cooked crab meat for the prawns in this salad. Note

Cake pans vary in depth, so if you have a little cake mixture left over, use it to make cupcakes. Use bought sugar flowers of your choice, available from supermarkets and cake decorating suppliers. Remove and discard skewers before cutting bottom tier. White icing is also known as fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on […]

Ready-made rich chocolate fudge frosting is available in packets from the supermarket and cake decorating shops. Note

Kumara slices can be baked several hours ahead. Keep covered. Assemble salad and add dressing just before serving. Note