Nici Wickes

This pumpkin and cashew curry is so incredibly moreish! The cashews soften to a light crunch on cooking and the mix of spices forms the perfect background for the pumpkin.

Nici Wickes' carrot cake loaf recipe is moist, delicious and it’s a real keeper. The crumble topping is novel and makes a change from the usual cream cheese icing. Serve in thick slices for an irresistible treat

If you're a big fan of one-pan wonders, this Nici Wickes recipe is for you. Crispy crackling and moist pork is cooked on top of a bed of potatoes with apple, fennel and quinoa stuffing. This is glorious!

Nici Wickes' seafood chowder recipe is easy to make and doesn’t cost the earth, so chow down on some chowder this week. Serve with plenty of crusty bread slathered with butter for a real winter winner

This lemon slice recipe is so deliciously chewy and using honey and fresh grated ginger in the topping gives it an amazing flavour. Perfect for winter days!

This decadent and perfectly moist vegan chocolate cake by Nici Wickes with creamy and rich chocolate icing will definitely have friends and family coming back for more!

This eggless cake is a lifesaver if you’re in the mood for cake but have run out of eggs!

Nici Wickes' berry and white chocolate slice recipe is perfect for all those surplus berries you couldn’t eat fresh and froze. Or you can always buy some mixed berries from the supermarket

These buns are so handy as you can make the dough the evening before. Then it’s just a matter of putting them together just before you want to eat them, hot from the oven - perfect for a quick breakfast or morning tea snack!

Nici Wickes shares her mum's winning recipe. Add a liberal dollop of chocolate icing and top each with half a walnut for a true taste of New Zealand

Nici Wickes' delicious mussel fritters recipe is incredibly easy to make and fantastic served with lemon wedges and a herby, creamy mayo sauce. Enjoy for a tasty lunch with friends and family

This dish is deceptively simple and incredibly delicious with the courgette maintaining its texture while not being completely raw. Ideal for using up all those courgettes from your garden!

With seasonal berries as good as this, it’s ridiculously easy to make spectacular desserts. These creamy tarts topped with sweet and tart berries will delight you, and the subtle kick of pepper in the crust goes beautifully with the fruit!

About this, Mum says: “Easily my favourite soup for those cooler, not quite winter days. It’s ideal if suddenly you realise one of your stored pumpkins is showing a little rot. So as not to waste the whole pumpkin, remove the bad bits and soup the rest."

Nici Wickes' apple and vanilla cake recipe is wonderfully moist, despite the fact it has no butter or other fats. Serve warm as a dessert or with brandy butter and cream if you're not dairy-free

If you’re a fan of banana bread, you’re going to love Nici Wickes' delicious version made with pears! Studded with walnuts and easily altered to be gluten or dairy-free, this recipe is a winner

April 25th is, of course, ANZAC Day. Embrace tradition with the kids and whip up a batch of classic cookies in remembrance.

We never tire of a decent crumble and they’re the easiest dessert to make! Nici's feijoa and apple hazelnut ginger crumble is the perfect dessert to enjoy warm with cream, yoghurt or ice cream.

These scrumptious scones put leftover pumpkin to excellent use. They're light and fluffy, and the sprinkle of Parmesan on the top adds so much flavour. Enjoy fresh out of the oven, slathered in butter, with a cup of tea.

Grated apples and chopped plums make this bran loaf extremely moreish. It is perfect as a sweet bite for morning tea, so put a batch in the oven in the morning and enjoy freshly baked with a cup of tea.

This is an easy dessert to put together using up any leftover Christmas cake or pudding, fresh fruit that’s ready to be eaten and meringues. Plus, it’s super-yum!

Quickly seared lamb underpins this tasty dish, making it perfectly adequate for dinner. Pulled together in just 20 minutes, it's a quick and healthy meal that everyone will love.

The sweetness of the fruit and the savoury richness of extra virgin olive oil make this the most wonderful summer cake. It's great served warm for dessert or with a cuppa.

These gluten-free fritters are packed full of sheer goodness! Whip up a batch for a tasty weekend brunch or a light and easy midweek dinner - and make sure you pile up on our scrumptious toppings.

This fragrant curry goes a step further with the famed combination of chicken and apricot, resulting in a simple but delicious dinner. It's such a fantastic way to experiment with fresh summer fruit!

This is a perfect dessert when pumpkins are plentiful. With a deliciously crunchy biscuit base and silky smooth filling, it's a wonderful example of just how well pumpkin can transcend the boundary between sweet and savoury.

This pudding has got to go down as one of the tastiest things you can make in a skillet. Apples and raisins are paired with the subtle spices of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, making a warming dessert for two that can be whipped up in no time.

These courgette and polenta cakes are popular with everyone, especially as they’re loaded with gooey cheese. They are just wonderful for anyone wanting to branch out from potatoes as their go-to source of carbs!

Simple to make and quick to cook, this passionfruit cheesecake slice is a winner! The topping is sweet, zingy and has a deliciously rich and creamy taste, while the base is a fantastic crunchy combo of gingernuts and oat crackers.

This light and lovely vanilla cake is just what you need for a simple dessert. The cake itself is a dream to whip up - just 15 minutes of work and you'll have it in the oven - and the passionfruit and yoghurt topping is heavenly.

The oven does most of the work in this fantastic courgette and corn skillet bake - which is a delicious way to put a glut of courgettes to good use. Serve with a simple green salad and you’ve got dinner sorted!

Here is a savoury version of the lovely French Sablés. They’re a nice alternative to nibble with your glass of wine instead of nuts or chippies, and make a fantastic addition to a grazing platter!

Want freshly-made frozen treats in a flash? These instant sorbet recipes are just what you need. All you need is a few ingredients, a blender and five minutes up your sleeve - and voilà!

These gluten-free sausage rolls are easier to make than the original which uses pastry and, dare we say it, we prefer them! Whip up a batch the next time you're entertaining and you won't have to worry about any dietary requirements!

It’s hard to resist freshly crumbed and fried fish, especially during the summer, but what if you’re keen to avoid using bread-crumbs? Polenta can be gritty and rice flour sandy, but this nut crumb is just right!

This tart is a total summer treat using lovely Central Otago apricots. It works equally well with nectarines or peaches too, so just use whatever you have available!

Berries and lemon are a great match in this vegan take on an old classic. A chocolatey, gluten-free base pairs with a silky coconut cream and cashew butter filling and berry topping to make one all-round knockout of a dessert!

This loaf has such a delicate, buttery crumb and with just a hint of lavender to soften the lemon - it’s absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy with a cup of tea for a delectable afternoon snack!

With a crown of softly whipped cream and juicy plums, this dessert is simply sublime - and the fact it’s gluten free just makes it even better! Enjoy for a decadent baked treat this summer.

This salad is a riot of flavour and texture! Beans, tomatoes and basil combine with char-grilled corn and pieces of crispy flatbread to create an all-round delight. It's the perfect side for your next summer barbecue.

This tart is just divine and works with pretty much any variety of plum. It’s not too sweet, so you will find that even people who claim not to have a sweet tooth will love it!

There's no need to throw out your Christmas leftovers, give them a makeover instead! The brown butter, or beurre noisette, gives these basic leftovers a truly incredible lift.

Even if you don’t make your own pastry that often, this recipe is so simple that it’s worth the extra effort. The topping could also be tropical fruit or roasted rhubarb, just make sure whatever you use it’s generously piled high.

This peach trifle roll is a Christmas winner! It combines all the components of a trifle – custard, cream, fruit, jelly and sherry – rolled into a soft vanilla sponge that can be prepared ahead of time.

Try something new with your Christmas fruit mince this year with Nici Wickes’ Christmas shortcake. A sweet, crumbly crust is filled with her mum’s ever-reliable mincemeat recipe, and makes a gorgeous gift for friends and family.

With zingy raspberries and chunks of white chocolate, all you need is a glass of bubbles to make this the most delicious start to Christmas Day. Start on the dough a day ahead to result in beautifully light brioche.

Making a tub of creamy, homemade ice cream doesn’t come any easier than this! You don't even need an ice cream maker for this recipe - simply combine all the divine ingredients and let the freezer do the rest of the work.

These dainty little strawberry sponge sandwiches are divine! The only problem is, it’s very easy to eat a lot of them - which makes them perfect for dinner parties so they can be gobbled up quickly by your guests.

Strawberries and pistachios are great friends, and this deliciously moist cake is a fantastic way to highlight the duo. The gluten-free delight is also high in protein, so it makes a dessert that is as filling as it is tasty!

This platter is a great way to enjoy quality, lean venison as a starter or with other barbecue meats and salads. The salsa is packed with herbs and the hummus adds a lovely creaminess, creating a dish bursting with flavours and texture.

This butterflied lamb leg works well as a casual lunch paired with a salad or with some vegetables or rice for a more substantial evening meal. It tastes incredible when rubbed in some Moroccan-inspired spices.

This loaf is perfect for anyone craving a spot of weekend baking, as it does equally well both as a breakfast option (toasted and slathered in butter) or a sweet snack beside a cuppa. Plus, it's free of both gluten and dairy!

Save money by turning cheap ice cream into incredible gourmet flavours by buying a two-litre tub of ice cream and creating never-ending flavours from the most wonderful combinations. Here are two of our favourites.

You'd be hard pressed to find a homemade meatballs recipe that's quicker or easier to make than this one! Pinch the ground meat out of sausages to create meatballs that taste just as good as if you'd made them from scratch.

These are the only scones to make if you’re after a recipe that’s super-charged with cheese. The recipe comes from Nici Wickes’ mum’s local café, but they’ve adjusted the recipe by adding chives for extra zing!

This Nici Wickes blue cheese loaf is like a giant muffin, all fluffy and cheesy and studded with pieces of sweet pear. It's so easy to pull together - making it a fantastic recipe to have up your sleeve for any unexpected guests.

Everyone loves an individual dessert and baked Alaska is always a huge crowd-pleaser – it screams effort, yet is deceptively easy to put together. These can be made round or square, just make sure they’re loaded up with tangy lemon curd.

So popular in restaurants and dead easy to make at home, these chocolate puddings are incredible! Don’t be fooled by imitation recipes where the gooey filling is just undercooked batter – these ones are the real deal.

This is such a simple citrus tart that has become a favourite as it can be made at a minute’s notice. Enjoy either as a light and zingy dessert or with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

Whip up a batch of these finger lickin’ teriyaki drumsticks next time you’re entertaining guests. They’re as simple as anything to throw together, and make a party snack that is sure to please the crowd.

This salad is a deliciously flavoursome childhood recipe of Nici Wickes' mum's, which is fabulous in its simplicity. The avocado is warmed by the potatoes just enough to bring up its flavour and creaminess.

This dessert combines lots of superfoods into one gloriously delicious slice! With nuts, coconut sugar, coconut oil, plant-based milk and dark chocolate, this slice is beautifully sweet while also being surprisingly light.

Nici Wickes’ choco-oat slice makes a great snack that’s a good one to get the kids or grandkids involved with making - it’s that easy and there’s barely any washing up! Best of all, it's free of both gluten and dairy!

A gorgeous mix between a slice and a sandwich, this sweet treat combines golden and crispy homemade pastry with a bubbling and jammy berry filling. It's perfect eaten cold for morning or afternoon tea!

This pie is an absolute winner – hearty and rich, packed full of meat and gravy, spiked with tangy blue cheese and topped with flaky pastry. Make it on a chilly evening to warm you up from the inside out.

This is such a satisfying dish and so easy to cook! The lamb shanks are beautifully tender and the Parmesan mash is such a crowd-pleaser, making it a perfect weekend dinner to enjoy with the whole family.

This dessert is just a little bit magical! It’s easy to make, turns out of the tin like a dream and is much less rich than it looks. Give it a go - it's perfect for occasions when you're after something a little bit special.

We just can’t get enough of this rice pudding – it’s creamy and rich, spiked with tart rhubarb to temper the sweet creaminess of the custard. It puts a deliciously modern twist on a comforting childhood dessert!

This spaghetti recipe highlights the beauty of simplicity. Pasta needs little more than garlic, lemon and oil to make it into an exquisite meal – just throw plenty of flavour at it and make sure it’s cooked al dente!

Compromise on cost, not on flavour with this budget-friendly but oh-so-tasty chicken schnitzel recipe. Pair with our zingy lemon parsley butter and crunchy cabbage slaw for a well-balanced dinner idea.

I used to order this curry at a Thai restaurant all the time until I decided to make my own version. It’s the perfect dish for a winter dinner, with the curry paste infusing the duck breast with fiery flavour.

This gluten-free orange drizzle cake is about as light and fluffy as they come! Enjoy a slice for an indulgent afternoon tea or a sweet-but-not-too-sweet dessert, served generously with that glorious orange syrup.

These short, chilly days are perfect for settling this slow-braised beef shin in the oven in the afternoon so that the aromas waft through the house for the rest of the day, tantalising our taste buds until dinnertime.

This dish is wonderfully flavourful – and economical as it uses shoulder lamb chops. The lamb and split peas are cooked slowly over two hours, resulting in a beautifully tender and wholesome meal.

Nici Wickes always has frozen berries on hand so she can whip up a crumble at the drop of a hat - not a bad rule to live by, in our opinion! A crumble is very easily scaled down for one, like in this sweet and simple recipe.

Who doesn’t love a winter pudding to warm up with on a cold night? Cooking for one doesn’t need to be hard either - this mug mud cake pudding is scaled down to suit you, fitting perfectly into one large or two smaller mugs.

These little biscuits are the French version of shortbread, mainly from the Brittany area, and they are rich, buttery and too delicious! Keep a batch on hand for an irresistible treat when the temptation comes.

This French dish is rustic and simple. The slow-braising technique does all the work for you and results in succulent, flavoursome chicken that goes beautifully with fresh bread and a green salad.

Buckwheat crêpes in France are commonly filled with ham and cheese or mushroom and spinach. Here, Nici crammed it all into one irresistible crêpe, perfect for a nourishing breakfast or brunch!

This is an economical and tasty dish that Mum says originates from Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean governed by France but widely influenced by Creole and West Indian cuisine. It’s delicious and the mincing of onions is a great idea!

In Ayurvedic medicine, this recipe is known as kitchari and is a balancing dish that helps to rest and detoxify your cells. Filled with vegetables and delicious spices, it's a dish that will nourish you from the inside out.

We truly love how simple winter recipes can get and this one is the perfect case in point – a juicy steak atop a hearty bean and spinach purée. Just divine! It's such an ideal meal to whip up when cooking alone.

My mum makes the best biscuits and these are no exception. Chock-full of oats, raisins and chocolate chunks, they're perfect for school lunches, afternoon treats or whenever you're craving a sweet snack!

The surprise is that this cake is full of health-giving beetroot as well as almonds and hazelnuts! Enjoy a slice of moist deliciousness guilt free thanks to this protein and fibre-packed concoction.

This classic pud gets a deliciously decadent twist with rum-soaked prunes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a dessert that is choc-full of satisfaction.

These are blisteringly good, especially if you use hot chorizo as the potato and cream are a good foil of its spiciness. Scale the recipe up to serve at your next dinner party, or simply serve with a green salad for a simple meal.

These gorgeous pumpkin and orange buns taste divine, look incredible and are so easy to pull off! Plus they make fantastic use of fresh seasonal winter produce. Serve slathered in icing for a delicious snack.

Mum just loves a pumpkin pie and she’s always experimenting with them. This is her best yet! Served cool with silky maple crème, this luscious pie is everything you could desire in a winter dessert.

This lid-only pie is so easy to put together and it’s a favourite with everyone who tries it. It's an ideal size for one or two people, leaving a little bit left over for a tasty lunch the next day.

We love this pie, which is really a tart, given it doesn’t have a lid! Combining the magic of goat's cheese, mozzarella and feta in a homemade gluten-free shell, it's a tantalising dish that is perfect for a midweek dinner.

This is a big family-style pie, but it can easily be pared back to suit one or two. It's a scrumptious way to add some fish to your weekly menu, and the pairing with caper parsley peas makes a well-rounded meal.

This clever recipe emulates the famous combination of rhubarb and custard, enclosed in a golden pastry shell. It's a dessert made for sharing, so enjoy with friends and family as a great excuse for a winter gathering.

Rich and gooey with a crunchy top, this brownie is divine! Plus, we all know the health benefits of dark chocolate, right?! Make a batch of this scrumptious treat to have on hand for any sweet cravings.

Light, fluffy and oh-so-sweet, Nici Wickes' mini polenta and raspberry cakes are a perfect treat or delightful dessert. Serve these little beauties with whipped cream.

I love this late autumn dish of Mum’s. Chicken baked with plenty of rosemary, orange juice and peel with soft petals of capsicum. It bursts with flavour!

This moist and tangy cake is a version of a cake by one of my favourite food writers, Diana Henry. Delightfully zingy and topped with a gorgeous orange and pomegranate syrup, this recipe is always a winner!

It’s a classic for a reason, but I love this version that’s crammed full of orange and lime instead of lemon. All it takes is one bite, and you’ll never look back! Whip it up for a gorgeous citrus-spiked dessert.

This velvety soup is taken to the next level with a side of battered and fried florets! The delightful combination of smooth and crispy creates a dish that is sure to impress.

Make life easy for yourself and use a store-bought chicken for this soup, or maybe leftovers from a roast chicken dinner. Ready in less than 30 minutes, it's a no-fuss meal for dinner or a weekend lunch.