Flour

Bringing your favourite confectionery treat together with a delectable baked good to make a fabulous dessert recipe.

Glucose syrup is often quite difficult to measure as it is very thick and sticks to everything. To make it easier, warm the jar of glucose syrup in a bowl of hot water before spooning out the required amount. Lightly oiling the spoon, or heating the spoon under hot water, and drying, will also help […]

To keep the glossy finish to the frosting, the cake needs to be frosted up to an hour before the party. The frosting soon dries out to resemble cooked meringue. Note

Tiny, blue-grey poppy seeds add texture and a slightly nutty taste. Note

Embossed cookie cutters come with assorted messages and are available from cake decorating and kitchen shops, and most larger department stores. Or, you can stamp a message with individual letters into the cookie dough. You need a 7.5cm (3-inch) round fluted cutter, a 7.5cm (3-inch) embossed cookie cutter and a piping bag fitted with a […]

While the cooking method may stray from tradition, there are only pure, classic, mouth-watering flavours to be found in these delicious brownies. This recipe is an easy crowd pleaser.

It’s important to measure the cake mixture carefully, so the cakes are all the same depth. Make the full amount of mixture, it will be fine standing at room temperature while you bake the 70 cakes in batches. We used standard sized foil cases. You need 64 cakes for the story board. We used scrap […]

You might have a few puffs left over; freeze them, unfilled. Valentine’s croquembouche Fit a large piping bag with a plain tube (or without a tube); three-quarters fill the bag with pastry mixture. Hold the bag upright, pipe the pastry into 2cm (¾ inch) rounds. Working quickly, use tongs or forks to dip the puffs […]

These simple, yet stunning wedding cupcakes are a perfect treat for a special day.

You can use any colour you like to tint the dough, choose a matching lolly, or coloured sugar, to coat the pinwheel edges. Note

This bread is best made on day of serving. Note

You can guarantee everyone will jump out of bed for a stack of these delicious hotcakes.

Buttermilk is the crucial ingredient in this olive and rosemary quick bread, a simple and fast way to make your own bread and fill the house with a heavenly smell.

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

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

Be sure to remove toothpicks from cake before cutting and serving. Raspberry straps, cut into strips, can be used instead of red licorice rope. Sandwich the two cakes together with a little blue butter cream. Spread the cake with coloured butter creams. Insert candy cane into centre of red icing ball to make drumstick. Note

Give your afternoon tea a Parisian twist and serve these delicate crêpes with beautiful fresh strawberries and cream.

Perfect for a lazy breakfast or brunch, these pancakes are pretty as a picture with their colourful berry toppings. Any leftover pancakes can be taken to school for a morning-tea treat.

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

The crunchy cashew layer turns this simple loaf, into a spectacular sweet dessert or afternoon tea snack.

Choux pastry mixture will come away from side of pan and form a ball Note

Named for it's shape, this roulade is a filled cake that has been rolled into dessert perfection!

Trim and position licorice bootlace to outline the windows. Position silver lollies between windows and around base; position one silver lolly on top of the flying saucer. Trim and position blue sour strings to outline base of flying saucer. Using picture as a guide, decorate flying saucer with remaining lollies. Sculpt the cake so it […]

You will need, Oven tray large piping bag fitted with 1cm (½-inch) plain tube. 8cm x 26cm (3¼-inch x 10½-inch) bar cake pan 20cm (8-inch) ring pan 30cm x 45cm (12-inch x 18-inch) rectangular prepared cake board Note

6-hole (¾-cup/180ml) texas muffin pan 12-hole (¹/³-cup/80ml) standard muffin pan 12-hole (2-tablespoons/40ml) deep flat-based patty pan 3 texas muffin paper cases (blue) 6 standard paper cases (blue) 35cm-square prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) decorations ¼ cup (40g) icing sugar 100g ready-made white icing (page 180) You’ll have about 1 cup […]

You can use any seed mix you like with this recipe, poppy and sesame seeds work beautifully too.

Ensure the safety pins are removed before serving cake. Assemble cakes then, using image as a reference, cut out cake. Use a toothpick to mark out Joe’s features on cake. To make facial stubble, use toothpicks dipped in black colouring. Note

These miniature wedding cakes would make a lovely gift to hand around to friends at a bridal shower or engagement party.

To make butterfly cakes, a variation of fairy cakes, cut the circle of cut-out cake in half, replace on the cream like wings. Decorate with silver cachous. Note

On a surface dusted with icing sugar, mould the balloon end from the reserved icing Dust your hands with icing sugar then gently mould the icing into a balloon shape When icing is large enough to cover the cake, carefully lift icing over cake using a rolling pin Using a toothpick or skewer, make small […]

deep 25cm (10-inch) round cake pan 35cm (14-inch) round cake board 1 toothpick 2 packets strawberry sour straps 2 rolls yellow fruit and cola wheels 6 coloured sugar-coated almonds 1 Twix Bar 1 mint leaf Make a hole in the side of a Twix Bar with a toothpick. Push one end of the mint leaf […]

This meaty stew is the quintessential winter comfort food. But when you want to take it up a notch, add in these cheesy dumplings packed with the herbaceous warmth of parsley. This one is bound to become a family favourite.

Spread this cut & keep butter cake with a simple glace icing and sprinkle it with hundreds and thousands before the icing sets. It will be a big hit with the kids. Try substituting the caster sugar with brown sugar for a light caramel flavour.

These pretty little morsels combine the flavours of strawberry and coconut for a wonderful teatime treat that can be devoured in two bites.

This festive fruit cake is easily made well in advance, which saves you valuable time when entertaining. Make your next celebration easy to prepare for and save time in the kitchen that you could be spending with friends and family.

We used a strong, stilton-like blue cheese in this recipe. Note

These crispy savoury pancakes make a delicious afternoon snack or side to your favourite Asian dishes.

Assuming you find yourself with left-over doughnuts to hand, a big assumption granted, there's no better way to eat them than grilled with maple syrup.

Treacle is sweeter than molasses, but not as sweet as golden syrup, and it has a slightly bitter taste. If you don't have any treacle you can make these little gingerbread loaves with golden syrup but may want to remove one tablespoon of sugar from the recipe.

Savour a slice of this moist rhubarb and coconut cake with a cup of tea or coffee and a big dollop of whipped cream to complement the sweetness.

Pikelets, as we know them, are a uniquely Australian and New Zealand phenomenon. In some parts of the world, asking for a pikelet will result in either a crumpet or an oatcake rather than fluffy little pancakes.

Sweet, golden and crumbly, these beautiful lemon zest polenta biscuits are brilliant enjoyed with a mug of coffee or tea for a morning or afternoon treat.

Serve these divine little blueberry hotcakes with walnuts and lashings of maple syrup for a decadent breakfast or brunch treat.

Ditch the store bought bread and make it like your grandparents used to. Your family will love the smell of freshly baked bread floating through the house...

Make a delicious pie base and crust with this parmesan cheese spiked short crust pastry recipe. You can leave the cheese out if you prefer, and even replace it with sugar for a sweet dish.

There's nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread, except for the taste. Bring the restaurant to your home with freshly baked dinner rolls.

Basic cup cakes make a great project when you're looking to bake with the kids on a wet afternoon.

These fragrant sugar and spice shortbreads, infused with all the fragrances of the festive season, make fabulous end of year and edible Christmas gifts. Package in a pretty tin or box, and finish with a fancy label and pretty ribbon.

Equipment: deep 22cm (9-inch) round cake pan deep 15cm (6-inch) round cake pan 30cm (12-inch) round wooden cake board 15cm (6-inch) round wooden cake board medium offset metal spatula 3 wooden skewers. Note

Prepare for your kids' party to takeoff with this aeroplane runway cake! From The Australian Women's Weekly's iconic 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook, it's perfect for a six-year-old's birthday.

Caramelised onion, also called onion jam, is available in jars from large supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

Equipment: two 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin tins two 8cm x 26cm (3¼-inch x 10½-inch) bar cake pans 30cm x 47cm (12-inch x 18¾-inch) rectangular prepared cake board piping bag fitted with 2mm (⅛-inch) plain nozzle Leave one bar cake whole, cut the other into two pieces, as shown. Note

Mignardises date back to 18th century France, when pastry chefs baked small treats at the end of the day in the low residual heat of their ovens. The name comes from an old French word meaning cute', pretty’ `graceful’. They are served at the end of the meal to extend the pleasure of the evening. […]

A twist on a French classic, l'oeufs à la neige, our soft meringues are topped with blackberry fool.

This delightful gnome cake by the Australian Women's Weekly is easier than it looks! All you need is some packet mix, a variety of sweets, some food colouring, and a little creativity! Have fun!

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. Keep the icing that’s not being handled, wrapped tightly in plastic. If logs don’t stick together during rolling, brush sides of logs with a little water. The tent […]

Be sure to remove skewers before cutting and serving cake. This cake is not difficult ­it is, however, time consuming. Note

If using butter cream instead of vanilla frosting, you will need half a quantity of butter cream. We used a selection of small jelly beans, rainbow choc chips and M&M’s for the treasure. You will need 3 x 4-pack (460g) double chocolate chip muffins for this cake. Note

The dough can be shaped into a log, wrapped tightly in plastic and frozen. Defrost in the refrigerator and slice into 1cm rounds, place on an oven tray and bake as above. Note

A super fast and easy recipe for classic hot cross scones with the distinctive chocolate cross on top.

You’ll find it best to make the citrus mixture in a large frying pan rather than a saucepan, so that the citrus slices fit in a single layer. This cake doesn’t actually contain marmalade as an ingredient, but its artful use of citrus rind strikes a similar visual chord. It is slightly painstaking to make […]

We used purple jubes, small jelly beans, Smarties and fizzers, but you can use any lollies you like. Note

If using butter cream instead of the vanilla frosting, you will need one quantity of butter cream. Note

Fondant carrots are available from specialty kitchenware shops or cake decorating shops. Alternatively, make your own using flower-moulding paste. Colour with liquid colour and shape into mini carrots ­ use a small amount of paste, coloured green, to make the curly tops. Note

You can also make this pastry using a food processor: Process flour, icing sugar and butter until crumbly. With motor operating, add egg yolk and enough of the water to make ingredients come together. Turn dough onto floured surface; knead gently until smooth. To segment the orange, use a small sharp knife to cut the […]

Try this cake with other fillings such as apple or pear. The cake is best made on the day of serving. Note

equipment two deep 15cm (6-inch) round cake pans 20cm (8-inch) round prepared cake board (page 110) or cake stand 2 piping bags fitted with small plain tube and small fluted tube Mud cake can be made two days ahead; store in an airtight container. Assemble and decorate up to six hours ahead of the party. […]

Rosewater pistachio crêpes

Remember this rockin' cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook? It's sure to be a favourite among the kids, even after all these years.

To decorate allow for another 200 grams (6½ ounces) fresh raspberries Note

Speculaas are a Dutch Christmas biscuit traditionally made in wooden moulds. If you have them, dust with cornflour or flour; press dough mixture into moulds then draw a knife across the surface to scrape off excess. Turn mould over and slap hard to loosen biscuits onto oven trays. Dust mould with flour between each biscuit. […]

Spicy date pudding with butterscotch sauce

equipment two deep 18cm-round cake pans 20cm-round covered cake board (page 110) decorations 24 ALLEN’S Strawberries & Cream 6 caramel ALLEN’S Milk Bottle Mania 12 ALLEN’S JAFFAS pink edible glitter dust 1.6 metres ribbon, approximately paper scrapbooking flowers 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

This king of the jungle cake will be a hit with young explorers at a jungle-themed safari. If the weather is wet or humid, chop the Violet Crumble bars and position them on the cake just before the party, as the damp air will make them sticky. You’ll have about 1 cup of cake mixture […]

Packaged cupcakes usually come iced, however, you can ice over the top with the frosting or remove the icing. Place the muffins in matching paper cases, if you like. Note

Remember to remove the skewers from the drawbridge before cutting the cake. Note

Peppermint essence is an extract of distilled peppermint leaves Note

You will need about 3 punnets of raspberries for this recipe. Note