Christmas

Crispy snow pea, prawn & avocado salad is perfect for a summer entertaining lunch.

Take an eaton mess, replace the pav with macaroons and add some custard and you have this deliciously layered raspberry dessert in mere moments.

For a gift-giving idea, spray a bamboo steamer (available from Asian food stores) with silver spray, line with tissue and fill with little cakes. Wrap it completely in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. Substitute brandy for Irish whiskey, if you like.

This perfect Christmas midday snack goes well with a glass of mulled wine.

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

This plump, sticky fruit loaf is a cinch to make and simply delicious.

Keep things simple with this delicious, plump sultana cake.

Sago, also known as seed or pearl tapioca, comes from the sago palm and is used in soups and desserts, and as a thickening agent. You can use Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao or any other orange- flavoured liqueur in this recipe.

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.

A crunchy almond topping makes this delicious Christmas fruit cake different from the rest. Perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

Sandwiched with brandy butter cream, these stacked hazelnut and orange spice cookies make a stunning Christmas treat.

Edible gift tag cookies are an adorable way to personalise your presents this Christmas - but perhaps wait until Christmas Day to attach them to your gifts.

White Christmas is taken to the next level with these sweet treats in the shape of mini Christmas trees.

These spicy oysters are sure to win over your guests at a barbeque or cocktail party. You can make the spicy dressing in the morning and dress the oysters just prior to serving.

The whole orange at the heart of this jaffa steamed pudding perfumes the entire dish as it cooks.

store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to serve. Ice-cream pops will keep for up to a week. Make the ice-cream pops 1 or 2 days ahead. Use rounded ice-cube trays if possible. Note

Have you always wanted to roast a goose for Christmas day? Here's your chance with this simple recipe. Don't let the addition of chicken giblets put you off, they help the stuffing graduate from delicious to amazing!

Use 250g marinara mix or your favourite seafood in this recipe. Note

There are many flavours in this exquisite chocolate winter pudding, lavender, honey, chocolate and orange, that mingle and flow together to create something rather beautiful.

Light, zesty and crumbly, these beautiful shortbread biscuits are beautiful enjoyed with a cup of tea or given as gifts to loved ones.

Fresh ginger dressing really brings this prawn and avocado salad to life. Perfect for a light lunch on the deck with friends, served with crusty bread and dry white wine.

That feeling when you realise you haven't made a Christmas cake and then discover our fabulous last-minute recipe.

A classic family favourite, this beautiful roast chicken dish is full of flavour from the baked fennel and garlic, and best of all you can cook almost the whole meal in one pan.

Quick, juicy and tender, these roasted pork fillets with orange make a great mid-week dinner. Serve with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Like a pared back version of Eton mess, with strawberries alone rather than a mix of berries, this strawberry meringue cream also has a shot of liqueur to spice things up.

Steeping the fruit in Grand Marnier make this Christmas cake extra delectable. If you're storing before decorating, you can poke a few holes in the top and splash a little liqueur over the cake then wrap, and repeat.

The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this delicious candied orange peel recipe can be included in desserts, cakes and savoury dishes like tagines.

Rich, fudgey and utterly decadent, the combination of chocolate and coffee flavours makes this mocha fudge irresistible. Serve with a shot of liqueur for a sophisticated dessert.

This deliciously tender roast goose recipe is stuffed with a pisatchio and fig stuffing, perfectly balancing sweet and nutty. It's the perfect meal for a special occasion like Christmas.

Cake can be made up to three months ahead. Note

If you have a sugar (candy) thermometer, use it for these recipes. These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! Note

You need two large (460g) overripe bananas to get the amount of mashed banana. 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

Christmas cutters are available from all good kitchenware shops or cake decorating shops. Note

This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Give the traditional gingerbread people an Aussie spin with these adorable gingerbread biscuits dressed in their togs!

You need about 2 large carrots for this recipe. This cake can be made 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated. Note

Gingerbread can be made up to a week ahead, store in an airtight container. The house can be assembled 5 days ahead, keep covered in a cool dry place. In hot humid weather, the toffee should be made on the day of serving. Note

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. […]

equipment 25cm (10-inch) round wooden cake board Smoothing tools Set of 3 snowflake plunger cutters (small, medium, large) Fine artist’s paint brush Paper piping bag The sanding sugar gives the snowflakes a lovely texture, however, if you can’t find it, don’t worry, the snowflakes look divine without it. Snowflakes can be made months ahead. Store […]

If you want, yo u can prepare the cake with almond paste (marzipan) before covering it with ready-made icing. Note

The fruit mix is enough to make a pudding, a cake and a dozen mince pies. Note

Panettone are easy to find around Christmas time, at other times they may not be as readily available. You can use brioche instead, adding a handful of sultanas, or thick-cut fruit bread. Note

If you can’t find dried cherries, use the equivalent amount of extra dried cranberries instead. Note

This pudding can be made a week ahead; store, covered, in the fridge, or freeze for up to 2 months. Brandy cream sauce can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the fridge. Note

These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! Note

This gorgeous layered cake is the perfect balance of sweet and nutty. It's the perfect celebratory cake to serve at Christmas time.

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

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

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

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

Use white Candy Melts in place of chocolate Melts for an extra-white finish. Note

White ready-made fondant (it’s the traditional icing used on wedding cakes), silver luster and cachous can be found at specialty baking and cake-decorating stores. Note

For those who prefer a light fruit cake, this is ideal. Keep the cake for 3 to 4 days before cutting, then cut with a sharp serrated or electric knife to cut cleanly through the almonds. Note

This pudding recipe is suitable to freeze. Note

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

Dried lavender is available from gourmet food stores and cake decorating stores. Note