“Bougatsa is a much-loved Greek pastry and one that has become synonymous with Thessaloniki. You will find bougatsa in nearly every bakery and cafe, baked fresh daily. The name is derived from the Turkish word bourek, which refers to a type of…”

“I don’t remember much about the circumstances of my first cherry clafoutis. But I must have loved the classic French farmhouse dessert, because I’ve been trying to reproduce that first custardy, almond-scented pancake ever since. As with many simple recipes, doing it well turned out to be a challenge…”

“I love to serve whole burnt aubergines in this way, where the punchy sauce is spooned over them, covering them generously like sauce blankets. This is quite a substantial vegetarian main so I would serve it with something light, like the Herby Leafy Salad.” – Noor Murad

“This is one to pull out with the first signs of autumn, just as the leaves start changing colour and the sun starts setting sooner. Feel free to swap out the Crown Prince pumpkin for Kabocha or butternut squash, if you like. Serve as a main with some lightly cooked greens.” – Noor Murad

“Ever since the wider public rediscovered the true flavour of pistachio – a prized, naturally sweet nut far removed from the artificially coloured pastes flavoured with bitter almond oil – it has become an undeniable smash hit of a flavour. This tart celebrates pistachio in its purest form, layered in a spectrum of natural green tones: matcha-infused pastry, luxurious pistachio…”

“This lemon and yuzu meringue pie is all about balance – bright, citrusy sharpness mellowed by a delicate sweetness. Yuzu, the incredibly fragrant Japanese citrus, brings a depth of flavour that goes beyond just tartness, offering floral and almost spicy notes that make this pie stand out from a classic lemon tart. The filling is silky and vibrant, nestled in a crisp pastry case…”

“These scrolls are to die for — soft, rich, pillowy brioche encases spiced apple and nuts, topped off with a sticky caramel glaze. They’re a special treat, perfect for packing in a picnic to take on an outdoor adventure.” - Nadia Lim

“This fudge brownie is definitely for the adults, as it’s filled with rum-soaked raisins, prunes, dried figs and warming spices. It’s delicious any time of year but it does make for a classy Christmas treat. I like to keep it in the fridge so it’s chewy.” - Olivia Galletly

“Breakfast classic. ’Nuff said. Enjoy!” - Melanie Persson

“These are the cinnamon rolls I hunted for desperately in the years after my coeliac diagnosis. Funnily enough, cinnamon rolls weren’t even one of my favourite things when I could eat gluten, but when it was taken off the table, cravings for those soft, sweet rolls really kicked in and I couldn’t find a good substitute anywhere. Until I made these…” - Melanie Persson

A pox on butter prices! We’re baking anyway. Have you seen the price of butter? Of course you have. You live here. It's depressing, especially if you love to bake. But here’s some good news on that front: cakes made with oil (even the budget stuff) are just as tender, often lighter, and stay delectably soft for longer than a butter-based bake. This plush, lemony number is…

“There are a few key things to bear in mind with blended drinks. Try to have everything cold when it goes into the blender; dropping room-temperature ingredients on ice will just cause it to melt and you’ll be left with a runny drink. About 250 g (1 cup) of ice per drink is good. Because the cold numbs your flavour receptors, you can pump up the sweetness more than you usually would in a drink, otherwise they taste thin…”

“We all know and love a Piña Colada, but it doesn’t have a monopoly on fruity, creamy cocktails. One of my other favourites is the Batida, a Brazilian drink. ‘Batida’ literally means ‘shaken’, and is quite a loosely defined combination of cachaça, fruit and lime, often with a creamy element of coconut milk or condensed milk. Cachaça is a sugar-cane spirit – essentially a Brazilian rum – so you can easily substitute it with…”

"I first met Melanie Russo when she attended kinder with my daughter Pam, so I have known her a long time. Melanie’s big, bold cooking smacks you in the mouth. My father started working for the Russo brothers, Joe and Jack (distant cousins to Mel’s family), in the early 1950s. Joe, Jack and Diego bought a farm in Tyabb called Cumbrae…"

Cars… beer… sausages… efficiency… we have much to thank the Germans for. And if there’s another thing they really excel at, it’s baking. We were in the country recently and quite honestly the breads, cakes, pastries, gingerbread, et al were an absolute highlight; dang, these people know their way around a bucket of flour and an oven. With Bavarian travels now just a 2024 memory, we thought we’d concoct a glorious yeasted plum cake…

Recently we went to a dinner party and were served a green salad that was dressed with something sweet. We don’t mean a tad sweet, as in a-shot-of-honey-in-the-dressing sweet. No, we mean diabetes-inducing, set-your-teeth-on-edge, unbefreakinglievably sweet. It got us thinking. Maybe a salad could have a…

It might surprise some to learn that tomatoes feature in regional Chinese cooking; especially with eggs as a quick, easy, comforting topping for steamed rice or for wide wheat noodles. Yum. This is one of those classic, home-style Chinese dishes…

Jjolmyeon (쫄면) is both the name of this dish and the type of noodles used to make it. These wheat-based noodles have a fabulous chewy quality, due to the way they are made – during manufacture, the dough is heated to 130-150 ˚C and extruded under pressure. Served with plenty of crunchy raw veggies and the lusciously…

We know sago is not everyone’s dessert ingredient of choice, but hear us out. It’s a drum we’ve banged before because we l-o-v-e Asian (and Asian-inspired) desserts and sago is a common presence. Take this Chilled Sago and Melon Pudding, for example. It's the best combo of chilled summery-ness and minimal effort ever, and it doesn’t scream ‘sugar rush’ either…

Those few weeks after Christmas? It’s when cooking motivation can go seriously AWOL, but cravings for fresh, punchy flavours don’t take a break. You’re done with the richness of ham, roast vegetables, and plum pudding, and if you see another turkey leg smothered in cranberry sauce you’ll scream. Enter this Chinese-inspired salad – a dish that looks and tastes…