Flour

For a cheat’s version, replace homemade biscuits with a packet of ready-made ginger biscuits or almond thins. Note

This “sticky” dough will get easier to roll at room temperature, so avoid adding extra flour. Note

Try this with orange juice instead of lemon juice, if liked. You can add finely grated zest of a lemon or orange to the egg mixture. Note

Simple lemon sour cream cake recipe with divine flavours. The sour cream gives the cake a beautiful denseness, with the lemon icing adding extra zest to the already delicious cake.

Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Note

Spray dessertspoons with olive oil to prevent dough from sticking. Note

This macadamia and chocolate biscotti is crunchy and satisfying as it�s chocolatey yet nutty and buttery yet crispy. This would be the perfect afternoon treat with a hot cup of tea.

If liked, decorate the biscuit salad by using melted chocolate or icing roping on the states and territories, as well as the capital cities. Note

Wear disposable gloves when using food colouring to prevent it staining your hands. Note

Cakes are cooked when they pull away from the sides of the pan and a skewers inserted into the centre comes out clean and dry. Note

Heating the oven tray helps to cook the pastry base better. For best result, keep pastry ingredients cool. Note

Incredibly delicious and moreish afternoon treat � these crisp neenish tarts are filled with raspberry jam with a sweet and creamy lemon centre, then iced with chocolate and pink icing.

Serve with a squeeze of Japanese mayonnaise if liked. Note

This is a foolproof recipe for children or those who don’t like washing up! Note

Store orange poppy seed muffins in an airtight container in the fridge. Accompany with a little cream, if you like, for a delicious dessert. Note

These are so good they should be banned! It’s the sour cream that makes them extra special – you can remove if desired and they still work well.

This is a New Zealand Woman’s Weekly classic that never dates – who doesn’t love chocolate and raisins in a cookie?

MAKES 12 Store in an airtight container. Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Note

For a clean cut, use a hot sharp knife, wiping the blade with a damp cloth between each cut. Note

These biscuits firm slightly as they cool. Note

Everyone will love this indulgent pecan pie, especially since it isn�t overly sweet and is packed with toasted pecans. Serve in wedges with a dollop of fresh cream of vanilla ice-cream.

We used an aged crumbly cheddar chees and shaved corned beef, and served our lunch with ale. Note

If creme fraiche is unavailable, use sour cream. Fold egg-whites in very lightly, to avoid vase of volume. Note

For royal icing, gradually add 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar into 1 egg white, whisking until smooth. Transfer to piping bag and decorate biscuits as desired. Allow to set at room temperature. Note

These crepes freeze well. Prepare fill and freeze, then top with cheese and cream when reheating. Note

Cheesecake flavoured cupcake are the perfect guilty pleasure.

These muffins are a wonderful stand-by food for weekends when unexpected visitors arrive for lunch or coffee.

When you tie the baking paper and foil with string, leave a long piece of string to allow for easy removal from the cooker. Note

Slice the cookies you need from your freezer dough, then refreeze the rest for next time. To make chocolate biscuits, you can replace 2 tablespoons self-raising flour with baking cocoa and roll out until 1cm thick. Sandwich the cooled biscuits together with ready-made vanilla frosting (found in the baking aisle of your supermarket). Note

To make small curls, drag a vegetable peeler sideways along a block of white chocolate (at room temperature). Note

To make ahead of time, wrap log of dumpling mix in plastic wrap and keep chilled with chicken mixture. Note

To create 2 separate layers of ganache filling, ensure dark layer is set firm before adding milk layer. Resting the pastry helps prevent shrinking during baking. Note

Earl Grey tea has a strong flavour which works well in baking, but you can use any variety often. Note

Chilling makes the croquettes easier to handle during cooking and also helps the coating adhere. Try other flavours, such as salmon, dill and lemon. Note

To make cinnamon sugar, combine 1/4 cup caster sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Note

Use other nuts of choice, such as macadamia or chopped pecans. Note

Classic pikelets that take just minutes to prepare are irresistible when topped with jam and cream.

If you do not have a friand pan, use a regular muffin or mini loaf pan. Note

Too much flour in gnocchi makes it rubbery. Warm first batches of gnocchi in oven while doing rest. Note

You can use 750g cubed, skinless firm white fish in place of the marianara mix. Note

Apples, caramel, golden crumble and cream - is there any better combination than this? This is apple crumble on steroids

You’ll need 1 cup pumpkin cubes for this. Note

Japanese mayonnaise is slightly thinner and sweeter than regular egg mayonnaise. Note

Test pudding with a skewer – if it comes out clean and dry, the pudding is cooked. Note

Nothing could be simpler than these tasty Italian baked goodies. With just five ingredients they're a sweet treat you won't resist.

Almonds and mandarins in a freshly baked cake make this a must for every afternoon tea. Serve with a sweet sherry for perfect delight.

For the best results with these fritters, defrost the fish in a colander overnight to drain out excess moisture. Note

MAKES 24 For glace icing, combine 1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar with 20g melted butter and 1-2 tablespoons boiling water. Stir until smooth, adding a few drops of pink food colouring. Note

Makes 30 Note

What makes this one of the most sumptuous Christmas puddings is the use of fresh cherries, which come into season in December.

Makes 1 very lemony, superbly light, moist sponge.

The addition of buttermilk makes these scones particularly light. Scones are best baked immediately after mixing, and in a hot oven, to ensure maximum rise

These crunchy morsels make a delicious addition to soups and salads.

This pastry is a little more work than regular shortcrust, but the rich almond flavour, flaky texture and great crunch makes it worthwhile.

Poached seasonal fruit mixed with berries and a dollop of lemon curd yoghurt makes a gorgeous summery accompaniment to tender crêpes.

A good blueberry muffin is a classic, and the highlight of anybody's packed lunch.

If you're going make this Easter bread recipe, you may as well make one big enough to share with friends. A cake mixer makes light work of mixing the dough.

The perfect Easter bun, whether it's enjoyed for breakfast, morning tea or dessert, the combination of sweet, juicy dried fruit and spices swirled through fluffy bread is utterly irresistible. Enjoy one warm or cool with a thick spread of butter.

To store: Keep cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Note

Never fill cake pans more than 2/3 full, to prevent the mixture from spilling over during rising. If preferred, make 12 larger cup cakes using a muffin pan. Note

An angel food cake pan is a ring pan with a removable bottom. It has a 15-cup capacity and does not require greasing. Note

For a modern take on mum's old bread and butter pudding, try this slightly more sophisticated lemon and craisin bread pudding. It's delicious served warm with cream or ice-cream.

Let your creativity flow when designing these beautiful toffee decorations. Try different shapes, sizes, patterns and designs for some fun and variation.

Bagels are traditionally served warm with smoked salmon and cream cheese, but any filling will do. Store them in a sealed plastic bag at room temperature or wrap tightly in foil and freeze. Refrigerator storage will dry them out.

Give your next batch of cupcakes a special lift with this beautiful looking marbled frosting. Get the kids involved and decorate with 100s and 1000s, cachous and little icing flowers.

Made famous in our ever popular Women's Weekly Birthday Cake book, the ladybird birthday cake is surprisingly easy to decorate, and looks marvellous.

When you need bread in a hurry, Irish soda bread is the answer. Don't be tempted to replace the buttermilk with regular milk, as the lactic acid combined with the bi-carb will ensure the bread rises sufficiently.

If you fancy a decadent dessert for those long cold winter nights, consider this indulgent caramel self-saucing pudding. Serve it with lashings of thickened cream or ice-cream for a truly warming end to the chilliest of evenings.

If you're looking for a quick and tasty sweet afternoon tea snack these hazelnut pinwheels are the answer. They look and taste delicious and go perfectly with a steaming mug of coffee or tea.

Just a touch of dried mixed herbs adds something special to these little dampers. Serve them on their own warm with butter, or with a piping hot bowl of vegetable soup.

One of the most important accessories for any young glamourette is her designer handbag and this stunning cake will be the envy of all the guests. It can be completed a day ahead, and decorated on the big day.