Chocolate

Use small piping bags without a tube or strong plastic bags snip a tiny corner from the bag for easy piping. Prepared cake boards are available from cake decorating and craft stores; you will need one 30cm (12-inch) round board for this cake. Note

This cake is at its best eaten on the same day as baking. Keeping time: 1 day. Note

Silver leaf, available from cake decorating stores, is delicate and fiddly to handle but worth the effort. Note

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

This mixture will make 2 cups of mousse. Divide mousse among small glasses for serving ­40ml shot glasses will give you about 12 delicious mini servings. Note

You need 25 foil petit four cases for this recipe. Note

A lolly-packed party piñata that the kids will love.

There’s no need to cover the pudding steamer with foil or a lid because it is covered when the lid is placed on the cooker. Note

These come from the Charente region of south-west France. The name generally refers to a nut-shaped puff from that region.

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

Delicious and chewy chocolate Turkish delights with the sweet scent of rosewater and the crunch of sliced almonds.

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

To make chocolate curls, run a cheese slicer down the back of a slightly warmed block of chocolate. For smaller curls, run a vegetable peeler down the side of a block of chocolate. 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, […]

36 lollypop or paddle pop sticks are needed for this recipe. Push the sticks of the popcakes into the top of a cardboard egg carton to dry. Light or dark fruit cake is suitable, use whichever is preferred. Note

Any small jubes or jelly sweets can be used. Use lightly oiled scissors to cut the jubes. Note

A classic treat from our iconic Test Kitchen.

A delicious and tri-coloured ice-cream topped with dark chocolate and almonds.

Store in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Cake pops will keep for up to a week. Use red Candy Melts in place of tinted chocolate Melts if you like. Note

These delightful little pastry treats mean 'little tubes' and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine.

You can use any flavoured jelly you wish. Note

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

The sponge roll used for this recipe has a diameter of 10cm and a length of 16cm. Note

Ready-made brownies can be found in the bakery section of most supermarkets. Note

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

Children of all ages will be delighted with a cake that makes one of their favourite games good enough to eat. Note

Slice will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Note

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

Serve this cake warm. Note

Hot chocolate flakes are usually sold in the coffee section of the supermarket. Note

Macaroons are available from specialty bakery shops and select supermarkets. We used ganache to cover the cake as it will set and hold the macaroons in place. We bought 15 packets of macaroons to get the 30 pink, 6 brown, 19 vanilla and 18 light brown colours used in this cake. To save money, use […]

Edible glitter is available from specialist cake decorating shops Note

Use a serrated knife to cut the cakes. These cakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for four weeks; the toffee will soften after a few days, depending on the weather. Note

This moist cake can be eaten warm or cold. Note

A charmingly simple way to decorate and serve delicious fresh strawberries - either as a simple treat on their own or with ice-cream for a more substantial dessert.

A rich and sweet Turkish pastry held together with dark chocolate, pistachios, walnuts and honey syrup.

Hidden inside each of these mocha meringues is a whole hazelnut for a delightful surprise.

Decorated with whipped milk chocolate ganache, Maltesers and edible glitter, these sweet cupcakes will impress chocolate lovers of all ages.

Dark Melts and butter can be melted together over hot water or in a microwave oven on HIGH (100%) for about 1 minute. This recipe makes 17 chocolate spider bodies, however, the decorations are for the seven spiders on the cake. Serve the extras as an accompaniment or, if you have extra Melts and Nestlé […]

Cake pops will keep for up to a week. Note

A sweet puff pustry pie that hails from France, where desserts simply taste better.

EQUIPMENT 12 plain white paper cases Large piping bag 1cm (.-inch) plain piping tube Cupcakes stale quickly, so it’s best to use a fruit or mud cake for the best keeping qualities. The cakes can be made and frozen for about 3 months. Choose the cake you like, then a type of jam, or a […]

We’ve used shredded coconut in our picture, but feel free to mix and match using shredded, desiccated or flaked. If you use flaked coconut, be sure to blend or process it until it’s chopped coarsely; this helps it to stick to the icing. Note

Rose, violet, nasturtium and pansy petals are all edible and make beautiful additions to recipes. Note

Don’t overbeat the frosting or the texture will be grainy. Note

You can substitute glacé fruit with others of your choice. Cut the cake with a hot knife. Wipe the blade clean between cuts. Note

If you have one, use a melon baller to scoop perfectly round balls of truffle mixture. Note

This recipe makes 18 cake pops. A quick way to make cake crumbs is to break up a ready-made cake bought from the supermarket. The cake pops become quite firm, and can be placed in a bowl or basket with little or no damage to the pops. Note

You need 10 ice-block sticks. If the choc orange balls don’t stick to the cookies, secure them with a little melted chocolate. Note

This recipe can be made up to 2 days ahead; store, covered, in refrigerator. Note

Grand Marnier or Cointreau can be used for the orange-flavoured liqueur. Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Truffles, without cocoa coating, can be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from freezer 1 hour before serving and dusting with cocoa. Note

There's no cake like an chocolate layer cake, and this one will be sure to turn heads when presented at any party.

Decorate the cake pops with small bows. Note

This gorgeous French dessert is worthy of any dinner party or family event. The combination of cream-filled puffs, crisp, spun toffee and a buttery pastry base creates the ultimate sweet recipe.

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

Store slice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Note

Equipment 18 x 30cm cake pop sticks; large square styrofoam block; 2 paper piping bags. Use any firm-textured cake to make cake pops ­ mud, fruit, coconut or butter cakes all work well. Leftover Christmas cake or pudding are real winners as they’re usually moist. Cake pop sticks (also sold as `lollypop candy sticks’) are […]

Place the unused vanilla bean in a jar of caster sugar to make your own vanilla sugar. Note

Inserting the base of the springform pan upside down will make it easier to slide the cake from the base. Note

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

Store cake pops in an airtight container at a cool room temperature until ready to serve. Pipe eyes and mouths on the day of serving. They will keep for up to a week. Note

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

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