Sweet dish

French apple flan, an elegant French dessert, has a shell of tender biscuit pastry filled with creamy custard and topped with apples covered with glistening brandied-apricot glaze.

Apple and blackberry is the classic crumble combination and this oaty version doesn't disappoint.

Twice baking the choux pastry in this recipe will ensure a perfect result, and the addition of frangelico gives a lovely boozy twist on this French classic. You won't be disappointed, and neither will your guests!

Equipment: 12cm (4¾-inch) length 18-gauge floral wire long-nosed pliers white florist’s tape pasta machine vinyl mat small, medium, large and extra large peony cutters wire cutters 7 lengths x 26-gauge floral wire flower glue 2 x 12-hole round-based, shallow (1 tablespoon/20ml) patty pans peony petal veiner flower mat ball tool fine artist’s paint brush 35cm […]

A classic dacquoise is a layered meringue sandwiched with a buttercream filling. This chocolate mocha dacquoise terrine offers a more sophisticated depth of flavour than the standard fruit and cream filling.

Pancakes aren't only for breakfast, they make a delicious dessert too.

Fill the house with nostalgic aromas of childhood apple pie with this warm and comforting tart.

We used pink lady apples, but any type will be fine. If you prefer, crème fraîche, mascarpone or whipped cream can be flavoured and used instead of the yogurt. Note

We used malibu, a rum-based coconut liquer for this recipe. Note

The mille-feuille, or vanilla slice, or custard slice, is known as the Napoleon. It is a French pastry whose exact origin, despite its noble name, is unknown. It's also quite delicious.

What a stylish wedding or engagement cake this contemporary tower of golden macarons would make! There is some time and effort involved but it's oh so worth it for this grand and elegant creation.

Zuccotto is a semi-frozen Italian dessert with a rich flavour and fabulous layers of texture. Often made with brandy or liqueur it also packs a little bit of a punch.

Warm chocolate pudding cakes with a molten chocolate core served with mascarpone coffee ice-cream make an elegant yet indulgent dessert.

It is fine to use two 300ml (or one 600ml) cartons of cream for this recipe, so as not to waste the remaining 20ml. Note

Buy drinking straws in three colours if you can, and match them to their corresponding cake pops. Note

If you have a coffee machine, use it to make three espresso coffees, rather than using instant coffee; you need ⅓ cup coffee. Note

The smooth flavour of mocha in a freshly baked, moist cake is irresistible. This cake will keep for up to 2 days, but we're sure it won't last that long!

Undecorated truffle pops can be kept refrigerated for up to one week in an airtight container. If making ahead, melt a little extra chocolate to attach toffee. Truffle pops must be served within 2 hours of being decorated with toffee. Once decorated with toffee shards, the truffle pops cannot be refrigerated. Note

This creamy frozen dessert is rich in flavour, and most definitely a crowd pleasing dish.

Like a Bounty candy bar in cheesecake form, this recipe combines the delicious duo of coconut and chocolate with a sensational result.

Spiced with ginger, these dark chocolate truffles make a delectable after dinner treat with a cup of coffee or a digestif.

The contrast between wafer-thin brandy snaps, sweet rhubarb and cool yoghurt is delightful in this sophisticated dessert.

The beauty of this pavlova roll is that you can experiment will all sorts of fruit to fill the centre. We've used banana, kiwi and passionfruit here, but any soft fruit will do. The result is still amazing.

Sweet, juicy peaches are beautiful served atop this golden, crumbly almond tart. Sprinkle with some icing sugar for a quick and tasty baked dessert.

This pretty marbled chocolate thins are easier to make than you'd expect, marbling the chocolate can be almost therapeutic once you get the hang of it. Avoid rapid cooling and don't put the sheets in the fridge to set, you want the chocolate to be set firm but not brittle when you're ready to use the cutters.

EQUIPMENT 25cm (10-inch) round cake board You can make your own meringues for this cake and colour them any colour you like. This works well as a Christmas cake using green and white meringues. You can use butter cream instead of vanilla frosting if you like. Note

As a variation to this fresh and icy treat, you could make pineapple and mint sorbet; substitute 1 small peeled and coarsely chopped pineapple for the rockmelon and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped mint leaves for the basil.

These gorgeous poached pears are slow-cooked in a sugary sweet syrup and served drizzled with a fragrant coffee sauce and crisp hazelnut wafers.

If you don’t have purple food colouring, use a few drops each of red and blue food colouring until the desired shade of purple is achieved. Note

This sweet, creamy no bake cheesecake is delectable and simply moorish. This recipe will need to be started the day before to give adequate setting time.

Make the batter for these muffins the night before you want to bake and serve them. Note

This recipe is best made on the day of serving. Note

20cm (8-inch) round cardboard cake board10cm (4-inch) round cardboard cake board30cm (12-inch) round cake board10cm (4-inch) round cutter Use regular hundreds andthousands for a brighter,less pastel, cake. Note

We used amaretto in this recipe, but you can use any almond-flavoured liqueur you like. Note

Candy and brittle of all kinds make excellent gifts, or treats to have on hand during holiday seasons.

Use an accurate candy thermometer for perfect results. They are available at selected department stores or online. Note

A lovely strudel is delicious, easy to make, and relatively inexpensive. You can also experiment with different fillings. We've gone with basic apricot here, but all sorts of fruits and nuts make an equally yummy filling.

If chocolate is not quite melted, return to saucepan and stir over low heat until melted. Note

Your guests will be trumpeting praise when they see this cute elephant cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook on the party spread.

Both Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples are suitable for this recipe. Note

Pastry cases can be made 3 days ahead; store in airtight container. Note

These gently poached quinces and pears are soft and juicy and sweet. They are complimented wonderfully by the crispy almond crumble. If you like, you could serve them with whipped cream.

You can also use peaches, apricots or plums instead of nectarines. Keep any leftover poaching liquid to poach other fruit; or simmer the liquid until it's reduced and syrupy, stir in 1 tablespoon orange-flavoured liqueur then pour over ice cream.

Make the most of summer cherries with this cooling dessert.

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Leave the nuts and berries out of this recipe if you just want a plain Blondie. Dust the slice with a little sifted icing sugar, if you like. Note

The frangipane flower and this frangipane tart have absolutely nothing to do with each other, despite the name. Although both look absolutely stunning and will fill your house with the most delightful aroma.

Break up a few tablespoons of the frozen yoghurt and raspberry swirl with a fork for your toddler. Note

This fun children's cake is great for the little ones that love playing with trains and automobiles. They'll love the taste and look of this tasty dessert!

When in season, use one large fresh mango weighing about 600g (1¼ pounds). Peel mango over a small bowl to catch as much juice as possible; cut off mango cheeks, then slice thinly. Squeeze as much juice as you can from around the seed into the same bowl, add enough cold water to make 1 […]

This cousin to the apple is always eaten cooked, as it is too hard and acidic to be enjoyed raw. It takes a long time to cook, but its glorious scent and lovely musky flavour are worth it. Its flesh is cream when raw, but turns a deep rosy pink as it is cooked.

Bite sized with a little kick and a lot of chocolate, this recipe is pure dessert perfection!

A citrus-flavoured liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, can be substituted for the coconut liqueur, if you prefer. Note

This fruit cake is suitable for many allergy diets, as it does not contain wheaten flour, eggs, milk or butter; the only sugar is in the fruit.

The parfait can also be made in a 10.5cm x 23.5cm (4-inch x 9½-inch) terrine or loaf pan; grease, then line the base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper over two long sides. serving suggestion Serve with extra raspberries and cherries. You will need to start this recipe a day ahead. Note

These muffins are delicious without the orange sauce. However, the rich buttery sauce transforms them into a dessert for grown-ups. Grand Marnier (or brandy) is the best liqueur to use. Remember to grate the rind of the oranges before you juice them. If the muffins need re-heating, 20 or 30 seconds in a microwave oven […]

EQUIPMENT deep 26cm x 36cm (10½-inch x 14½-inch) baking dish 45cm x 50cm (17-inch x 18-inch) rectangular cake board small paper piping bag. DECORATIONS silver cardboard, for buckle; 1 black licorice strap; 100g (3 ounces) white chocolate Melts; coloured sprinkles. With magic and mayhem being all the rage these days, there are sure to be […]

These beautiful and blushing soufflés are dead easy to make. Just remember to whip up your egg white well, and serve them straight from the oven to the table.

Just a few extra ingredients and about half an hour in the kitchen and you can turn regular chocolate ice-cream into a delicious and very sophisticated dessert.

Panettone trifle

Give nana's plain bread and butter pudding a European flavour with this Italian version. Panettone is a yeasted cake that is the speciality of Milan and is traditionally served at Christmas. It is however available most of the year round.

Make quick banana splits by cutting half a banana into wheels over the top of each sundae. Note

To make these caramelised bananas even more delicious, you can soften the ice-cream slightly, layer it in cups with the fruit and top with crushed nuts to make a parfait.

equipment deep 26cm x 36cm baking dish 30cm x 46cm covered cake board (page 110) decorations 3 red ALLEN’S SNAKES ALIVE 1 each orange, yellow and green ALLEN’S SNAKES ALIVE 2cm silver disco ball silver edible glitter 52 ALLEN’S MARELLA Jubes 1.3 metres silver sequined ribbon Edible glitter is available from specialist cake decorating shops. […]

Tangelos are a cross between a tangerine and grapefruit. They look like an especially richly coloured, smallish orange with a slight neck at the stem end, and taste like a sweet orange.

The combination of both white and dark chocolate mud cake and ganache make these decadent mini-cakes a truly wonderful indulgence. Or you could go large with our white chocolate and raspberry mud cake.

With lots of chocolate and ice-cream, you won't put a foot wrong with this fun kids' cake! From The Australian Women's Weekly's 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook, it's sure to bring back fond memories.

Poaching whole pears in champagne allows the flavour of the wine to seep into the flesh of the fruit, so use the best quality champagne that you can afford.

Store tiramisu cups upright in the refrigerator until ready to serve. They are best made on the day of serving. Note

We like to use an underproof rum, but, if you like, use the stronger overproof variety. Note

Butter cream frosting Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in sifted icing sugar and milk, in two batches. Divide mixture among four small bowls. Add chopped chocolate to one and sifted cocoa to another. Using colouring, tint one pink and leave one plain. Note

Pudding can be prepared several hours ahead. Stand, covered, in the refrigerator. Bake as required. Note

Honey and cardamom panna cotta with oranges, cream recipe, brought to you by Australian Women's Weekly

This marshmallow-textured pavlova is cooked directly on the platter it's served on, which eliminates the risk of breaking the fragile meringue when transferring it. Simply make sure the platter is plain, sturdy and ovenproof.

Delight both the kids and adults with this decadent dessert. The hot fudge sauce is so easy, delicious and versatile you'll never be tempted to buy the supermarket version again.

With a cloud-like, marshmallowy centre, this pavlova is the stuff dreams are made of. Serve with lashings of whipped cream, and fresh berries.