Afternoon tea

There’s a hidden layer of thick vanilla custard in the centre of this cake that takes it from good to great. Serve it warm, but not too hot. Photography and recipe by Gourmet Traveller.

This decadent cake is inspired by the life of artist Frida Kahlo and her sometimes turbulent relationship with her lover, Diego Rivera. It is dense and complex like Frida, with heat from chilli and spice. It’s the perfect, dramatic end to a Day of the Dead feast. Photography by Jani Shepherd / Gatherum Collectif.

Raw chocolate and superfoods go so well together, both in flavour and nutrition. This is Megan May's delicious ‘jaffa bowl’. Photography by Melanie Jenkins.

Use your favourite sweet pastry recipe to make a delectable tart. Recipe and photography by Bauer Syndication.

A little bit scary and a whole lot of fun.

A classic treat made from layers of flaky, buttery pastry with vanilla-flecked custard filling. Photography and recipe by Gourmet Traveller.

Try this economical fruit loaf recipe that was given to Mum by her good friend Janet years ago. It is always a firm family favourite – on its own or slathered in butter.

This true orange-flavoured treat is easy to make. Cranberry and orange is a flavour match made in heaven.Photography by Todd Eyre.

I really love this basic vanilla cake recipe. If it is made in a square tin, it can be cut into quarters and dressed up any way you please. Photography by: Todd Eyre.

If the mention of yoghurt in this recipe makes you feel better about indulging in multiple wedges of it, me too! I've been making this cake for years as it is a fail-safe cake that has what I call "integrity" - ie it is deep and holds itself well over more than a few days without becoming dry or stale-tasting. Photography: Todd Eyre.

This is a delicious and economical lunchbox filler that uses common pantry items. It’s a good step up from a biscuit!

There are some things in the food world that just go together – basil and tomato, pork and apple, beer and potato chips – and, if you ask me, chocolate and hazelnuts. This slice is deliciously crunchy, gooey and caramelly – and I doubt it will last very long in the biscuit tin!

This nourishing pumpkin and feta free-form tart makes a healthy and delicious dinner, lunch or tea any day of the week!

Add a delicious fright to your All Hallows' Eve with these little cakes of horror! Decorating with gooey "worms" or gory "eyeballs", these cakes are sure to be a hit

Enjoy the flavoursome combination of hearty chorizo, fennel and caraway seeds in this delicious gluten-free ring. Perfect for a light lunch, or morning or afternoon tea.

An old-school Boston bun has a certain retro charm – layer the frosting on as thick as you like and serve it with butter for spreading. Photography and recipe by Gourmet Traveller.

Sablés are a French classic that kids adore. Make them a little more magical with crystallised pansy faces on top.

These iced lemon-scented biscuits are a great pantry standby and make the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea. Photography and recipe by Gourmet Traveller.

Thrill the trick-or-treaters with these clever (and easy) Halloween cupcakes.

These easy-to-make bars are great for a quick snack. They're made with quinoa flour and quinoa flakes, so they're nutritious and gluten-free, too.

This sweet and sticky recipe is a little tart with home-grown Granny Smith apples. Photography by Jani Shepherd.

Long gone is the dried handful of nuts & raisins we grew up with - this moist dense cake will without doubt sustain all your explorers. It contains goodness from walnuts, almonds and dates but isn’t without decadence – she sports a sweet creamy caramel coconut topping. Just the thing to enjoy with a thermos of hot tea on the riverbank or even with friends and a cuppa at home.

This is a nice alternative to a classic chocolate log.

This is a gorgeous, gluten-free snack to have any time of the day. I love the way shortbread just melts in the mouth!

Coffee and walnuts are old friends. In these cute little cakes, the sour cream adds an extra richness and ensures a wonderfully moist crumb. The recipe makes 8 small cakes or 10-12 muffins.

There is only one size for this baked cheesecake - big! It keeps well, but I guarantee it won't last long. It's best to make this cheesecake the day before you intend to serve it to allow it to settle.

This light, low GI, avocado and herb salad, sourdough bruschetta, is a perfect dish for brunch, or for an afternoon snack. This recipe is suitable for diabetics.

These biscuits are ‘the best ever’ for a good reason. Photography by Jani Shepherd.

This old-fashioned moreish cake from Nantucket Island in the US can be served at breakfast time. Photography by Jani Shepherd.

Mango and coconut are the quintessential flavours of summer. These ice-blocks will be a summer hit for all ages to cool down in the sun.

Yummy, delicious gluten-free and dairy-free blueberry vanilla cupcakes. Perfect for the kids lunchbox and for you with a cup of tea, morning or afternoon.

Yummy, delicious gluten-free and dairy-free spiced apple cupcakes perfect for the kids lunchbox and for you with a cup of tea, morning or afternoon.

We have created a lemon twist on a classic favourite - the Lamington. We've even made this recipe gluten-free, and nut-free, so everyone can enjoy!

Sweet, crumbly and glazed with the sweet tang of passionfruit. Perfect for morning or afternoon tea with the girls, and sweet treats for the kids.

These scrolls are great for school lunchboxes (instead of sandwiches) and after-school snacks.

These biscuits are a scrumptious way to get a bit of fibre into your diet.

This sweet raspberry loaf is a delicious snack, perfect with a cup of tea, morning or afternoon.

Sink your teeth into this sweet and decadent apricot slice- so easy to prepare and so delicious!

These delicious muffins are a quick and easy snack, perfect for afternoon tea or to take on a picnic.

There's no other way to say it - this cake is magical! The way the simple batter settles into layers of custard and sponge seems impossible, and yet it works beautifully.

Champion of the Dilmah Real High Tea Global Challenge, Laurent Loudeac shares his winning sashimi recipe.

Kiwi chef and global high tea winner Laurent Loudeac shares his tea infused mille-feuille recipe.

Full of seeds, nuts and grains with the added benefit of molasses and salted dark chocolate – consider this slice a rather fancy scroggin in an easy-to-eat bar. Photography by Jani Shepherd.

Lucky for me, my mum always let me experiment in the kitchen as a kid – so I have named this slice after her.

This simple recipe for a light and golden, orange-flavoured, plaited Easter bread comes from a 1961 edition of Home Baked: A Little Book of Bread Recipes by George and Cecilia Scurfield. Published in Britain, the book was aimed at the novice bread baker and the authors included a chapter called ‘Coffee Breads from Abroad’. Most European countries have recipes for traditional breads eaten on festive occasions – usually made from ordinary bread dough enriched with butter or oil and eggs and flavoured with dried fruit and spices. I have made many of them over the years, but this modest recipe has become a favourite. It probably can’t claim to be authentically Russian, but it is pretty, delicious and completely reliable.

These cute little cakes are stuffed with tender vanilla poached pears to create a dainty treat, perfect enjoyed with a cup of tea.

This spongy, almondy cake is another way of dealing to excess stone fruit. Make one, two or three layers, sand­wiched with aromatic cinnamon cream (if making a single layer, just cut it in half once cooled), and use whatever fruit you have lots of – small apples and pears work well, too. Photograph by Jani Shepherd and styling by Fiona Hugues – Gatherum Collectif.

A classic chocolate caramel slice for a special occasion.

Alexa Johnston gets you out of the mall and into the kitchen to craft delicious edible Christmas gifts.

Alexa Johnston gets you out of the mall and into the kitchen to craft delicious edible Christmas gifts.

I can still remember making this slice as a young girl. I’m sure I created a terrible mess in the kitchen but the reward was always worth it!

Soothing for your digestive system and wonderfully warming, ginger is the perfect spice for winter. Try this raw ginger slice and I guarantee you’ll be hooked, as will your gluten, dairy and refined sugar intolerant friends!

This pull-apart bread is filled with caramelised onions, chives and cheese to give it extra flavour, making it perfect to share with friends.

This is an old favourite and, once you try it with fresh mint leaves, you’ll be in heaven.

This super-sized cake fits the bill for those times when you just need a hit of sugar. It’s got all those wonderful caramel-sweet flavours in there to cure a sugar craving good and proper. Photograph by Jani Shepherd.

Aesthetically pleasing, rich and dark with pops of gold and amethyst. This slice is the perfect end to a delicious meal this weekend. Recipe from Gourmet Traveller.

This flourless chocolate cake with pear, macadamia & crème chantilly is rich and moist. The bittersweet dark chocolate complements the soft sweet baked pears beautifully.

The divine combination of nutty, creamy hazelnut praline and full-bodied aroma of coffee give these picture-perfect cupcakes some attitude. Photography by Melanie Jenkins.

This is a gorgeously gooey and crunchy chocolate meringue, loaded with dried fruit, nuts and chopped chocolate. Regardless of how messy it is to serve up, it’s a dream of a dessert!

I like to kid myself that this wonderful chocolate cake is so full of quinoa, I can eat as much as I like! For the refined sugar-free version, skip the frosting.

This silky chocolate tart is a firm favourite and is criminally easy to make!

This decadent cake bursts with the flavours of rosemary and citrus! It’s gluten-free, making use of the humble potato and a little almond flour to produce a moist and delicious treat.

These teacakes are pretty enough for a high tea spread yet delicious enough to pop into the lunchbox. One thing's for certain. They won't last long!

A match made in heaven. Salted caramel and chocolate are both rich, decadent and irresistibly compatible. Soft, sweet and salty, this slice is the perfect treat to bake for ultimate indulgence.

Rich, chocolatey and utterly decadent, this devil's food cake from The Australian Women's Weekly vintage cookbooks is the perfect treat for birthdays, afternoon teas or even just because.

Whip up a batch of these custard almond cookies for your loved ones as a sweet morning or afternoon treat. They're wonderfully buttery and go perfectly with a hot cuppa.

This classic, simple slice combines all the great baking flavours – lemon, fruits, nuts and vanilla. The icing should be just runny enough to leave adorable little droplets around the edges.

"These biscuits were unkindly called 'squashed flies' by children; this was probably due to the appearance and slightly acid flavour of the filling." This classic from The Australian Women's Weekly cookbooks will still go down a treat!

This coconut meringue cake is useful to take to a function. Once cooked and cooled, it is ready – no need for decorating.

This one is a special recipe from 'Love and Food From Gran's Table' by Natalie Oldfield. Nana Rita's plum torte is complete with a crumbly golden crust and beautifully tender juicy plums.

This tasty scone-like damper loaf will be a hearty start to the day. It is great with soup and travels well tucked in beside a thermos of tea.

Here is a perfectly pretty and fresh-tasting dessert which can also function as a birthday cake.

This rich, sweet treat is a lovely variation on traditional Anzac biscuits, complete with a creamy icing that turns this humble biscuit recipe into a decadent dessert.

Feather sponge filled with clouds of whipped cream and topped with passionfruit icing.

Chocolate brioche is heavenly fresh out of the oven for morning tea. Photo Credit: Murray Lloyd.

The epitome of Easter cuteness, these chewy coconut macaroon nests are filled with a dark chocolate ganache that helps balance their sweetness. Find the little speckled chocolate eggs at your supermarket or wherever Easter eggs are sold.

These cute little bunny cookies are a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Let them cut out the shapes and ice them once baked. Before you know it, you’ll have a fun new family tradition!

Lemon thyme-poached peaches baked into a poppy seed cake with a subtle nutty flavour.

Packed full of crunchy, nutty pecans, the sweetness of these fluffy buns are beautiful topped with a sweet maple glaze. Enjoy them warm or cool with a cup of tea or coffee.

Wow your friends and family with these glorious homemade hot cross buns. Packed full of juicy raisins, and finished with a sweet, sticky glaze, they'll have your guests coming back for more!

Light and flavoursome passionfruit kisses that don't leave you feeling heavy with guilt after the first bite

Lemon with coconut adds more flavour to your typically ordinary lemon tart making it even harder to break away from

A summer treat. Peaches added with yoghurt gives off that fresh and fruity taste whilst with the addition of cinnamon, a spiced peachy yoghurt makes it even more delectable

Caramel sauce is the perfect addition to many sweet dishes, this dairy-free caramel sauce is both fast and easy to make

Adding these pumpkin dampers to your next casserole or stew is just what you need to leave you feeling full and satisfied