More than 2 hours

Limoncello liqueur is an Italian lemon-flavoured liqueur made from the peel only of fragrant lemons. The peels are steeped in a good-quality clear alcohol then diluted with sugar and water.

This cake takes a bit more effort and time than the usual – but it is a celebration cake! It is decadent, rich and dense – and also enormous, so the leftovers will help keep the party going!

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

serving suggestion Serve with toasted sourdough or cornbread. While we’ve used cannellini beans here, you can use any canned white beans you like, such as great northern, navy or haricot. Use a plain (unflavoured) tomato-based sauce suitable for serving over pasta. These sauces can be bought in cans and jars and are often labelled “sugo” […]

Use un-iced, unfilled plain biscuits for this recipe. Note

Freshly diced mango and halved strawberries are a perfect match for this easy summer ice-cream. Note

Crispy, crunchy and tender twice-cooked duck from Australian Women's Weekly.

A big hearty beef and mushroom pie for the whole family.

Ask your butcher to dice the veal shoulder. Veal is suitable to freeze. Note

A delicious slow-roasted honey and soy pork neck with complex Asian spices and flavours.

Do not overwork the dough or it will toughen. Note

A fresh and bold Asian broth with crispy pork belly that melts in the mouth.

These tender, barbecued lemon and garlic pork ribs are literally finger-licking good, perfect for lunch with friends.

Liquid malt is available from brewing shops and some health-food stores. Note

Beef and red wine pies, beef recipe, brought to you by Australian Women's Weekly.

An rich and aromatic stew of lamb, white bean, tomato and thyme.

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. If you’d prefer a vegetarian option of this soup. Microwave rice is fine to use here. Note

Add spice to the classic chicken roast with this piquant harissa and orange version, served with your favourite golden roasted veggies.

Southern-fried chicken is the original finger-licking dinner dish, this Cajun-spiced version is spicy to boot.

A fortified wine, like sherry and port, muscat is the result of grapes left to ripen well beyond normal harvesting time, resulting in a concentrated dark, toffee-coloured wine with a rich yet mellow flavour. Note

Chocolate stout is available from bottle shops or online. You can swap it for a dark stout if you like. Make sure all fruit is chopped to the same size as the sultanas. Note

A hearty and delicious duck and lentil from Australian Women's Weekly.

These bite sized truffles make great gifts, especially at Christmas, as well as a sweet treat for parties or afternoon teas. If you want to go all out, dust with little fragments of gold leaf.

A perfect meal that satisfies a hankering for meat and potatoes, while providing something just a little bit special. Remember to rest the meat for a perfectly moist and succulent result.

This tender veal ragu is full of the flavours of the Mediterranean with artichokes, lemon and black olives.

This is delicious served warm or cold, so is great for picnics or a make-ahead lunch. Note

This delicious grilled scampi dish makes a great starter for a dinner party, or other special occasion or celebration.

Spicy and rich duck vindaloo from Australian Women's Weekly.

The caramel and caramelised white chocolate ganache can be made a day ahead; store in an airtight+ container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before assembling cake. Note

The flavours of this sticky duck are spectacular and team perfectly with the refreshing cabbage and radish salad.

A classic of American frontier cookery, pork and beans makes a fabulous weekend lunch or dinner dish in the middle of winter.

A daikon and potato gratin with spring onion, bay leaf and crushed garlic.

On those occasions when only meat and potatoes will do, here is your go-to recipe.

1 x deep 9cm (3¾-inch) square cake pan 1 x deep 15cm (6-inch) square cake pan 1 x deep 23cm (9¼-inch) square cake pan 30cm (12-inch) square prepared cake board or cake stand cake. Make butter cake mixes in batches as they will not all fit together in a large bowl, use three packets first, […]

With layers of almond sponge, raspberry mousse and cream, this spectacular cake is delectable and perfect for a celebration.

This deliciously warming soup is packed full of tender shredded pork and hearty beans to create the ultimate Winter comfort meal.

Traditional corned beef with a tangy horseradish white sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

Don't let the cook time dishearten you, this dish is very simple to prepare, and the flavours are well worth the wait!

Slow-cooker meals are a blessing during the working week, especially in the colder months. Let this lamb, spinach and chickpea pilaf greet you at the end of a busy day.

Thickly sliced fresh nectarines or peaches can be used in place of figs. Note

Instead of brandy snaps, you could use ginger snap, butternut snap or honey snap biscuits. Note

Try this recipe for a roast with a twist. Beer finds it's place in yet another crowd pleasing dish.

Black beans, also known as black turtle beans, have long been a staple food in Latin America and South America. They are commonly used in soups and stews, and are an extremely good source of antioxidants. They have a meaty, dense texture and a flavour similar to mushrooms. To freeze Complete the recipe to the […]

Did you know? White chocolate is not considered real chocolate because, while it has cocoa butter,it does not have chocolate liquor, which comes from the finely ground nib (centre) of the cocoa bean.

You could use lamb leg or shoulder, cut into chunks, instead of shanks. Note

Ask the butcher to cut the ribs for you so they will fit into your slow cooker. Note

A Pithivier is round, enclosed pie with origins in France and can be made sweet or savoury.

Sweet chunks of apple, whole spring onions and sage add complex flavour to this slow-cooked pork neck pot roast.

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Indian-style grilled tandoori lamb with dhal, herbaceous raita and pickled lemon from Australian Women's Weekly.

Both soya and rice flour can be found in the superm arket or health food shops. To store pudding, wrap in plastic wrap and seal tightly in a freezer bag or airtight container, store in the fridge or freezer. Note

A historically North African dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked.

If you can’t get fresh broad beans (fava beans), use frozen ones, these also need the beige-green shell removed. Note

Osso buco can be made a day or two ahead; keep, covered, in the refrigerator.

Eggplant, tomato & leek lasagne

A beautiful and delicious creamy semi-dried tomato and veal from Australian Women's Weekly.

serving suggestion Crusty bread. Note

You could use creamy polenta in place of mash to top these veal goulash and potato pies.

These sticky ribs are seriously messy, so have finger bowls and loads of napkins on hand, they're also excellent served with thinly sliced fried potatoes.

Lamb shanks that will fall off the bone and melt in your mouth with a flavour-packed bean ragu.

Show off your MasterChef skills by making this traditional croquembouche. You will need a croquembouche stand, and if you've got a silicon liner to help slip the finished tower from the stand all the better. It'll be worth the work to see the look on your guests' faces when you present them with croquembouche.

Shoulder is a great cut for a recipe like this Italian braised pork as it stays tender and moist without being fatty. Ask your butcher to bone, roll and tie the cut for you.

Slow cooking the pork in this way will result in a meat so tender that you could cut it with a spoon. Serve with a steaming bowl of rice to ensure you soak up every last drop of that delicious sauce.

There is nothing quite as comforting as a warm, fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth homemade sweet pie, and this recipe exceeds expectations.

You can substitute gravy beef (or better yet, a ham bone and chicken stock) for the lamb. Black beans, also known as turtle beans, are a common ingredient in Latin American soups, salads and salsa. They have a black skin, creamy texture and sweet flavour, and are a breed apart from Chinese black beans which […]

The pudding is best made on the day of serving. Rum sauce can be made a day ahead, store, covered, in the fridge. Reheat the sauce before serving either in a microwave oven or over low heat in a small saucepan until hot. Note

You can add mushroom for an earthier flavour to this rich and fragrant veal and rosemary casserole if you like.

An American dish of pan-fried beefsteak with a sauce made from the seasoned pan juices.

Ask the butcher for lamb shoulder as what is sold as diced lamb is sometimes from the leg and will not be as tender. Note

A tasty tapas dish, delicately spiced with fragrant saffron, this platter of olives and cheese makes an elegant addition to a selection of nibblies.

Buy small brioche from the bakery section of your supermarket or from any French cake shop. This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Ice-cream bombe mixture needs to be prepared at least a day ahead, keep in the freezer until required. Cake base can also be prepared a day ahead, keep in an airtight container. Cover bombe with whipped cream just before serving. Note

Also known as risi, risoni is a very small, rice-shaped pasta similar to orzo that is often used by Italian cooks when making soup. It can also be baked in a casserole or served as a side dish to a rich meaty main course.

This exquisite pork hock with peanut caramel & pickled cucumber is perfect for a special occasion.

Pomegranate and fennel salad makes a fresh, fruity side for this tender pineapple-glazed ham. This simple meal makes a great alternative Christmas lunch or festive meal.

Hoisin sauce is a thick, sweet Chinese barbecue sauce made from salted fermented soy beans, onions and garlic. It can be used as a marinade or a baste, or as a flavouring for stir-fried, braised or roasted foods. It’s found in all Asian food shops and most supermarkets. Note

Slow-cooked veal shin (the cut also known as osso buco) and earthy mushroom ragu are perfect winter comfort food, especially served on a bed of warm, creamy polenta.