Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i The Australian Women's Weekly

Every now and then, I’ll pull a book off a shelf at home and spot an inscription on the title page that’ll make me smile, cry or feel vaguely guilty. The latter is usually a library stamp from 1994, which causes me to wonder if it’s really too late to return it and whether, if I braved that particular establishment now, sirens would blare and doors would slam around me. The inscriptions that make me smile are usually from friends – wishing me a happy Christmas in 1985 or, more recently, awkwardly signed copies from brave, brilliant friends who’ve written books and whose tomes I proudly displayed on a shelf of their own. When my lovely girlfriends ignored my reluctance and threw me a baby shower a few years ago,…

“My life shifts from refugee camps to red carpets. Both can co-exist. And for me, they must.” Are wedding bells in the air at Kensington Palace? It is the question that many in royal circles are pondering, as Prince Harry’s romance with US actress Meghan Markle becomes serious. According to Harry’s friends, the relationship has stepped up a notch, with Meghan having effectively “moved in” with him after Christmas and the pair of them now “inseparable”. While Meghan, who found stardom in the US television legal drama Suits, lives in Toronto, Canada, where the show is filmed, she has been staying with Prince Harry at Nottingham Cottage, his Kensington Palace home, for much of the past few months. They have enjoyed dinner at London’s fashionable Soho House, West End theatre,…

“My medical team is not sure if I’m menopausal or a stalker.” You know, I just don’t understand people who get to a certain age and start whingeing about how the world has made them redundant and how they no longer have a purpose. If you’re always banging on about how terrible it is the kids no longer need you to drive them to parties and sport and how you don’t see your friends anymore because the sun is setting on your working life, you need to play attention. Because if you’re bored and alone, you’re not doing this ageing thing right. As somebody well and truly in the first hot flushes of middle-aged(ness), I’m living proof that as you age you don’t slow down, you speed up. Every day,…

In a chunky black jacket and stiff jeans, Marine Le Pen, France’s most popular and feared politician, is walking along the seafront at Nice on the Mediterranean coast. This palm-lined stretch of town is known as the Promenade des Anglais after the dissolute English aristocrats who flocked here in the 19th century, but the seafront is now notorious for a different reason. Last July, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a Tunisian-born Islamic terrorist, drove a truck into crowds celebrating France’s national holiday, killing 86 people and injuring hundreds more. Nothing in this fabled Riviera resort has been the same since and as Marine stops to say a few words at the spot where Lahouaiej Bouhlel was shot dead, it is hard to miss the connection between the atrocity and her surging support.…

1 EYE-LENGTH FRINGE “Fringes are all over the runways at the moment, at all different lengths,” says Priceline Pharmacy Hair Director Kenneth Stoddart. “In this case, we have the eye-skimming fringe. I have always been a lover of the peek-a-boo fringe, as it draws attention to the eyes and is also a bit playful. Keep the ends of the fringe slightly feathered, as it makes it softer and more wearable. This style suits long faces, because it shortens the length of the face.” 2 BLUNT SHOULDER-LENGTH The blunt shoulder-length cut was adopted by many Hollywood celebrities last year and the trend has continued into 2017. “If you want to look chic, a blunt shoulder-length bob is your go-to haircut,” says Raw salon Hair Director Marc Armstrong. “It’s perfect for people…

Coach Eau De Toilette, 90ml, $128. A heavenly feminine fragrance with notes of raspberry, Turkish rose and a suede musk base. Diptyque Limited Edition Rosa Mundi Candle, 190g, $88. This beautiful candle fuses centifolia and damask roses with blackcurrant leaves for a pretty, fresh scent. Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in Pink Cloud (right) and Sunset, $24.95 each. Create a bold look with this ultra-hydrating gel lip colour that contains bright pigments. L’Occitane Cerisier Pastel Hand Cream, 30ml, $14. With fruity and floral notes, this cream smells divine and the organic shea butter helps nourish the hands. ghd Limited Edition Platinum Styler in Tropic Sky, $315. Styling hair is easy with this stunning multi-coloured styler, which prevents hair damage by setting an optimal temperature. OPI Fiji Collection Infinite Shine in Suzi…

Tandoori chicken skewers SERVES 4-6 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES (+ MARINATING TIME) ½ cup (135g) tandoori paste 1½ cups (420g) natural yogurt 1.5kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3cm pieces 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil roti or wraps cooking spray ½ (85g) red onion, chopped very finely 1 bunch coriander leaves, chopped, plus extra, to serve 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon salt juice of 1 lemon lemon wedges, to serve 1 Combine the tandoori paste, ½ cup of yogurt and chicken. Thread the chicken onto skewers. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. 2 Brush a char-grill with the oil. Place the skewers onto grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken is browned and cooked through. 3 Spray roti with oil and grill…

“My great-grandmother used to enter cakes, honeys and jams in shows as well.” Carrot cake NATALIE EMERY (NEÉ REID) A few years ago, our family put together our own cookbook. My aunty organised for family members as far as England to send their favourite recipes, with a little bit about themselves, too. Some of those people have since passed away, but the recipes they were famous for live on. The recipe book is now lovingly covered in cake mix. My grandmother tells me that my great-grandmother actually used to enter cakes, honeys and jams into shows as well, so I know she is especially proud of me for keeping that alive. I guess it brings back memories for her, too. SERVES 10 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES…

Chocolate marshmallow eggs MAKES 24 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+ COOLING AND SETTING TIME) 12 (about 200g) small hollow chocolate Easter eggs mini chocolate Easter eggs, small chocolate bunnies, sprinkles, sugar flowers, to decorate MARSHMALLOW 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 3 level teaspoons powdered gelatine 1 cup (250ml) water ½ teaspoon vanilla extract yellow food colouring 1 Score the circumference of the Easter eggs following the seam and split in half (use a knife dipped in hot water, then dry off with paper towel). 2 MARSHMALLOW Combine the sugar and gelatine in a medium saucepan; stir in water. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil and boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Remove mixture from heat and transfer…

“Creating the perfect Easter garden party is simple. Add plenty of flowers and colour, some beautiful craft and plenty of Ferrero Rocher chocolates – and don’t forget the Easter Egg Hunt!” Setting the scene Easter is a very special time of year. With a little generosity and a lot of creative spirit, you can let your guests know just how much you love to see them. And what better way to express that love than with an Easter afternoon tea party? So this season, our gift to you is three fantastic recipes for you to try – any one of which will turn your Easter afternoon tea into a delicious success. To get the garden party started, we’ve got simple yet sensational chocolate cupcakes with a hidden surprise inside that…

Micro-greens are green veg picked as babies. Instead of one large, coarse cabbage, eat tiny, sweet, tender baby cabbage – delicious, better for you and easy to grow. MICRO-GREENS ARE MAGIC You can grow them anywhere, any time and they are incredibly fast growing. All you need is a sunny spot, which could be a pot or hanging basket by a sunny windowsill, potting mix, slow-release fertiliser and scissors. HOW TO BEGIN Fill your pot, hanging basket or even styrofoam box with drainage holes with a high quality potting mix. (Beware the cheaper potting mixes that are a coarse, acidic mix of just slightly rotted wood chips.) Scatter seeds on thickly, about 2mm apart, but don’t go mad trying to be accurate. Try mixing 2 parts sand with 1 part…

5000 YEARS OF DANCE The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts is bringing its spectacular ballet to Australia. See “5000 years of Chinese dance in one night” at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, March 24-26, Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, March 28-April 2, then Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Visit shenyun.com for dates. NEW IN CINEMA THEIR FINEST She has to write “the slop” (women’s dialogue) and “obviously” can’t be paid as much as “the chaps”, but Catrin (Gemma Arteron, above) has a crucial role in making propaganda movies to help Britain win World War II – and the sceptical men around her. The cast includes Richard E. Grant and Bill Nighy. Don’t miss it. Opens April 20. DANCE ACADEMY After the hugely popular Australian TV series comes the film, promising even “bigger dreams”,…

Kenya royal tour If you loved the TV series, The Crown, try this modern safari fit for a queen. Luxury travel company &Beyond has a 10-day Kenya and the Crown trip combining regal landscapes and noble accommodation. It includes a helicopter trip to Lake Rutundu where Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, a historical tour of Nairobi including Out Of Africa author Karen Blixen’s home and a ride in the vintage motor truck Robert Redford drove in the 1985 film. Visit andbeyond.com. TRAVEL QUERY What’s the best way to roll a jacket when travelling? Roll the jacket so the creases don’t set and ensure that the lining faces outwards so any damage is doneto that. Before packing it, undo the buttons, turn the jacket inside out, place the sleeves together…

CRIMSON LAKE by Candice Fox, Bantam Australia. Former police detective Ted Conkaffey has fled to Cairns after being accused, but not convicted, of an appalling crime. He’s mainlining Wild Turkey, chatting to a goose, and teaching her goslings to swim in the bath. And he’s the straight guy in the partnership of two charming, but damaged, private detectives in the little town of Crimson Lake. Amanda Pharrell is a convicted killer and a twitching, rhyming, human tattoo. They set about solving the disappearance of a local author, whose wedding band has been found in a crocodile. Crimson Lake couldn’t be richer in character and atmosphere. As for plot, there’s plenty to fascinate; in fact, as Amanda says, “I’m so fascinated, someone should pin me in their hair and wear me…

THE GIRL BEFORE, by J.P. Delaney, Hachette. I picked up this latest hot arrival in the crowded domestic noir field feeling a little jaded, it all seemed so familiar. It’s got “girl” in the title. The plot unfolds in alternate diary entries written by two distinctly unreliable narrators, Emma and Jane. And the story’s set almost entirely in the one house which they both rent – Jane following Emma, who dies here – from its obsessively minimalist architect and owner, Edward. Glamorous, but a control freak of the first order. Well, my jade had faded within the first few pages. J.P. Delaney (whoever she or he actually is) gives us not just three extraordinary human characters – all of them, in their way, monsters of manipulation – but a house…

“We didn’t give up ... We’d go back to Pia’s case.” One of the very first cases that came across forensic biologist Sharon Neville’s desk was the brutal murder of 37-year-old Pia Navida. It was 1992 and the young woman’s body had been found off a bush track in the Royal National Park south of Sydney. Pia had been sexually assaulted and bludgeoned to death with a rock during an attack so vicious it completely crushed her face. Sharon recalls the case vividly. “At the time all we had to go by was this huge 14 kilogram rock covered in blood, but DNA wasn’t an established science for us then so tracing the blood grouping was really our only avenue and unfortunately that didn’t give us the answer as to…

“If you are never left alone to live your life, you don’t feel alive.” Michelle Williams arrives at the restaurant. Her ultra-blonde boyish cropped hair makes her look über-feminine. She’s straight off a seven-hour flight from New York to Los Angeles – no make-up, her skin with a luminosity that captures the whole room. Even the hip LA crowd can’t help but gawp. There was a time when she minded this. She minded it quite a lot. There was a time where she was hounded and hunted by paparazzi with giant lenses, wanting to get a glimpse of her pain when her ex- but much loved boyfriend and father of their daughter Matilda, Heath Ledger, died of an accidental overdose in January 2008. She’s wearing a denim jacket and a…

“At any time, their bodies just stop.” It’s not uncommon for parents to lovingly joke their clumsy toddlers may need a crash helmet. Yet, for the past five years, crash helmets have been standard attire for Melbourne sisters Jaeli and Dali Williams. Every day, whether at school, kinder, the shops, while playing in the sandpit or eating at the kitchen table, Jaeli and Dali have had to wear protective head gear because they suffer seizures. “We were walking along one day and Jaeli just dropped to the floor unconscious,” says their mother, Danielle Williams. “She fell flat onto her face and broke a tooth. During another seizure, she fell backwards and smashed her head on a cornice at home and was rushed to hospital. We are haunted by seizures. It’s…

Insider tips From Vera Wang’s exciting new watercolour pattern fashion, to versatile $29.95 denim jeans, Harris Scarfe’s Fashion Manager Nicole Naccarella (right) is “dialling up” style in its stores. She suggests trying fresh looks –jumpsuits and dresses layered cleverly for the new season. “My favourite is the Khoko Juliette cardigan [$59.95 at harrisscarfe.com.au], a perfect wardrobe staple for work, or dressed down with jeans for the weekend.” Australian model Elyse Taylor graces the newest collection from Sportscraft, a mix of easy-to-wear separates in an autumnal palette, soft knits and silky pleats – ideal for weekends away. In store now. Visit sportscraft . com. au. LUXE TO LESS Winter is coming! Rug up in this double-breasted camel coat Think pink Rose quartz was Pantone’s 2016 Colour…

1 PLATINUM BLONDE The golden white locks are a statement for women such as Gwen Stefani (above) and Christina Aguilera. “The platinum blonde has always screamed silver-screen siren,” says Kenneth. Although this colour can make your hair prone to damage and dryness, the right products will ensure it maintains a healthy structure. “If you’re going to take the plunge into going blonde, it’s advisable to look after the integrity of your hair,” says Marc. Kenneth agrees, “Make sure you use a purple toning shampoo and conditioner to keep the right tone, otherwise, it can look a bit yellow.” 2 CHOCOLATE BROWN Autumn is a great time to ditch the caramel for a darker colour. “Chocolate browns tend to suit people with darker skin, as going too dark can wash you…

“Home testing is not a substitute for your doctor.” Home health testing is becoming more popular, with increasing options for diagnosing disease or monitoring chronic conditions. While it’s a help to those in rural areas who have reduced GP access, or to monitor some chronic diseases, home testing is not a substitute for your doctor, but may help you decide if a visit to the doctor is necessary. International Normalised Ratio (INR) test of blood clotting People taking the blood-thinning medication warfarin for preventing blood clots need to have regular testing of INR, which measures how long it takes for blood to clot. It needs to be kept within a tightly defined target range and warfarin doses are adjusted according to the result. Home INR test kits are available, but…

RACHEL WORMALD, 53 - BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR After her first screening a small lump was found in Rachel's breast. A lumpectomy and radiation therapy followed. I HAD TURNED 50... I received a letter from BreastScreen Australia to say I was entitled to a free mammogram. Six months later the letter was still on the fridge and I thought, I better book that appointment. I DIDN’T HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS I had cancer in my left breast, but it was so small they were struggling to get a clear picture on the ultrasound. If I hadn’t have had the breast screen I wouldn’t have known I had cancer, I didn’t have any symptoms. If I hadn’t been prompted to go, I may not have gone for a few years. It could be…

Veal with lemon and capers SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 35 MINUTES 2 cups (500ml) water 1 cup (170g) polenta ¾ cup (180ml) milk ¼ cup (20g) finely grated parmesan 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 6 (600g) thin veal schnitzels 60g butter 1 tablespoon rinsed baby capers 3 strips lemon rind, sliced thinly ⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice ¼ cup micro parsley steamed green beans, to serve 1 Bring the water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in polenta; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until polenta thickens. Stir in the milk; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until polenta thickens. Stir in parmesan; season to taste. 2 Meanwhile, sprinkle pepper on both sides of veal. Heat butter in a large frying pan…

Chocolate sponge SERVES 10 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME) 6 eggs 1 cup (220g) caster sugar ½ cup (70g) cornflour ½ cup (75g) plain flour ½ cup (75g) self-raising flour ⅓ cup (35g) cocoa powder ⅓ cup (110g) raspberry jam 300ml thickened cream, whipped CHOCOLATE GANACHE 250g dark chocolate, chopped finely 125g butter, chopped 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease two 20cm round cake pans; line bases with baking paper. 2 Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs for about 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved between additions. Meanwhile, triple-sift the dry ingredients; fold into the egg mixture. 3 Divide mixture between the prepared pans; bake for about 25 minutes. Turn sponges out immediately, right-side up, onto…

Chestnuts are available from mid-March to July. Look for a glossy, brown, firm shell and a heavy feel for their size. Store raw chestnuts in a paper bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge for two-three days or in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Store cooked, peeled chestnuts in the fridge for up to four days. One kilogram of fresh chestnuts yields about 700g once peeled. They freeze beautifully, so you can add that chestnut flavour all year round. Use in cakes, desserts, soups, salads or stuffings. Chestnuts contain folate, potassium and vitamin C, are low GI, gluten-free and low in saturated fat. SCORING When baking or roasting chestnuts, cut a shallow cross into the flat side of the shell. This prevents the nut overheating and…

Girl Easter halo WHAT YOU NEED Coloured cardstock for the leaves – we purchased ours from Officeworks, officeworks.com.au Paper straw Crown ring – ours is from Spotlight, spotlightstores.com Hot glue gun Decorative chickens and bunnies – we purchased ours from Papier d’Amour, papierdamour.com.au Coloured ribbon METHOD 1 Draw six leaf shapes onto your coloured cardstock, then cut around the outlines. 2 Glue paper straw all around the crown ring – it doesn’t need to be too neat. Work your way around to cover the entire crown, until you have something that resembles a bird’s nest. Leave to dry. 3 Using a glue gun, glue your leaves onto your crown. Leave to dry. 4 Glue the decorative chickens and bunnies on top of the straw, spacing them out at uneven intervals…

1. Eco-conscious make-up tools The EcoTools Perfecting Blender Duo features a flexible large base blender and a firm mini detail blender to create the perfect make-up base. It’s also the world’s first eco-sponge, made from EcoFoam Technology, which uses 70% plant-based materials, so you can look and live beautifully. RRP $19.99. Visit ecotools.com.au. 2. Cold and flu relief Feeling under the weather? With Nature’s Own Triple Strength Garlic + C, Horseradish tablets, you can help relieve the symptoms of colds and flu, and hayfever, such as runny nose, itchy throat, watery eyes and sneezing. RRP $29.99 for a value pack of 200 tablets, available exclusively at Chemist Warehouse. Visit chemistwarehouse.com.au. 3. Tempt yourself with fragrance Developed with world-famous fragrance houses, Fluffy Temptations Fabric Softener is the perfect everyday indulgence. Every…

“Prepaid travel cards are becoming increasingly popular.” Overseas holidays can be fantastic experiences – new places, new people and no work commitments! The key to ensuring success is good planning. The internet has made it easy for us to DIY rather than use a travel agent. We can trawl through myriad websites to book our airline tickets and accommodation. Yet we also need to tackle the more mundane issues of organising our travel money, insurance and communications before we take off. If it’s a while since you travelled overseas, you mightn’t realise how easy it is to access the funds you need, thanks to the growth of debit and travel cards. Travellers cheques are still available and have their attractions, such as added security and easy replacement if lost or…

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt, Hachette. “I wiped my hand across my mouth, tasted blood... I watched blood river down his neck... The clock on the mantel ticked, ticked. I walked out of the room, closed the door behind me and made my way to the back stairs... Someone’s killed Father.’” This dark, creepy, tactile novel is a retelling of the real life story of Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted for the brutal axe murders of her father and stepmother in the town of Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892. Lizzie’s case captivated the US at the time and still does. She was the OJ Simpson of her era, with a huge body of opinion totally convinced that she was guilty, her main defence being that…

1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 1902. WHAT: Self-published by Beatrix Potter in 1901 after several rejections, the 250 copies for family and friends went down so well that Frederick Warne & Co. backtracked and published a year later. “Peter” was originally written as a picture letter for her governess Annie Moore’s son Noel. WHY: Potter rocks. She designed the Peter Rabbit doll herself in 1903 and patented it, making Peter Rabbit the oldest licensed literary character. 2. Rabbit, Run by John Updike, 1960. WHAT: The first in a series of four novels about Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom, a boorish, philandering ex-baseball player, past his glory days at 26. Moving out on his pregnant wife and two-year-old son, he shacks up with a prostitute, quits his boring job…

Aries Mar 21-Apr 21 Take your time with your money, house, apartment, business, charity or possessions in April. Take good advice, too, but allow the story to go backwards and forwards from April 1 until May 17, as the facts and figures are in flux. What happens now will have an impact on your finances from May 2018, so you need to be fully aware of all the possible scenarios, including the property market, currency exchange rates or taxation changes. Check the terms and conditions with major purchases or transactions. Taurus Apr 22-May 21 Your image, personal appearance, title, reputation and name would be best organised another time, Taurus. If you must go ahead with decisions about your profile, then at least allow for delays, changes or simple errors. Double-check…

“Surely with kids you want the camera on them, not on Wednesday night’s leftovers.” Last week, there was a queue down the hallway of our new apartment. Four removalists, three carpet layers, a painter and two blokes with a piano on a trolley were helping us move in. The piano boys, Bert and Matt, have shifted my piano before. “You planning to practise more this time around?” Bert asks me, sternly. “Your Chopin needs some work.” I promised to practise. They pretended to believe me. At the back of the line stood the MOTH (Man of the House). He’d been up since 6am, at which time he carried the first box of 418 carefully numbered packing cases into our new place. At 6.05am, in keeping with an old McDermott family…

ROYAL WATCH Still tall in the saddle on the eve of her 91st birthday, Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed the first days of spring with a ride along the banks of the Thames near Windsor Castle. By her side was head groom, Terry Pendry, and her mount was one of her much-loved Fell ponies. The Queen has been riding since she was three and her first pony was a Shetland called Peggy. Her Majesty rides regularly and breeds Shetland, Highland and Fell ponies. Style Queen The Queen has resumed her duties with style and energy after suffering a heavy cold. From far left: In magenta at an exhibition of Pacific art; catching a train to London in an overcoat of mint green; a turquoise theme on Valentine’s Day; a royal blue…

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If your hair is looking a little lacklustre and dull, now is the time to undergo a change. Whether you want a completely new look or just a minimal update, we’ve rounded up five brilliant cuts and colours – from the eye-length fringe to colour melting – for you to try, with easy tips and tricks from our experts to make them work for you. Time for a makeover A hair makeover is easier than it sounds. We called upon celebrity hairdressers Anthony Nader and Marc Armstrong from Raw hair salon in Sydney to give two women a new look that you, too, can be inspired by. “As a busy mum, I needed a low-maintenance cut that could be styled easily. The colour makes my hair look healthy and shiny,”…

Q I am 68 and healthy. I eat well and exercise regularly. Despite having thick hair and good teeth and skin, my nails have always been very weak. They can be soft but in brittle layers at the same time and rarely reach any length. My mother had the same problem, yet my two sisters have strong nails. Do you have any solutions? D.G.C., Qld. You say you eat well, but it would be worth analysing your diet more closely. Check for iron deficiency and make sure you eat adequate protein. Underactive thyroid is another possibility. Frequent use of nail polish can weaken your nails. Wear gloves to protect hands and moisturise them daily. Q At the end of every holiday, my hands peel. Whether I’ve flown overseas or just…

Easter being well and truly autumn, the weather is perfect to sit outside for lunch, with the younger ones playing cricket on the lawn until lunch is called. It’s all about having family and friends around you. This leg of lamb with the olives, anchovies, garlic and rosemary – all such natural accompaniments – is cooked at a moderate temperature for a couple of hours, then rested for at least half an hour before carving so those beautiful juices can be shared around and there’s no fighting over the knuckle. The vegetables that accompany the lamb are definitely the taste of autumn, too – the pumpkin, beetroot and the very first of the kale from the garden. Roasted leg of lamb with anchovies and olives SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK…

Cooking has brought me closer to the people I love. I treasure the connections I feel with the beautiful cooks in my life who aren’t physically with us anymore, especially my nan, Edna White, Mick’s mother, Kathleen Goodwin, his grandmother, Imelda Henebery, and my friend, Julie Wilson. They live on in my cooking and in my memory. The point I find myself at is as the parent of three sons who are new adults. They are all still at home right now, but I guess the clock is ticking. Although I have taught them what cooking knowledge I could over the years, I feel an almost desperate need to get all the important recipes, information and tips together, so that when they go, they’re set. My Essential Cookbook is a…

Hot cross buns MAKES 16 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ PROVING TIME) ¾ cup (180ml) milk 1½ tablespoons honey 1½ tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil 50g butter, chopped ¾ cup (180ml) apple or pear juice, at room temperature 7g sachet dry yeast 1 egg, at room temperature ½ cup (80g) dried currants ½ cup (80g) sultanas 4 cups (600g) bread flour (see Test Kitchen tips) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon fine salt FLOUR PASTE ½ cup (75g) plain flour 1 tablespoon caster sugar ⅓ cup (80ml) cold water, approximately GLAZE 1 tablespoon caster sugar 1 teaspoon powdered gelatine 1 tablespoon water 1 Heat the milk in a small saucepan until hot; remove from heat. Add honey, oil and butter; stir until butter has melted. 2 Whisk juice…

IN SEASON: Quince You might know it as the sweet paste that goes with cheese and bickies, but quince is a tart treasure of a fruit that is equally at home in sweet dishes and savoury meals. Quince needs to be cooked before eating, but once it’s cooked, the flesh turns a rosy pink and the quince’s unique flavour develops. It’s a popular drink that has been around for centuries. Now, with gut health the current buzzword, Kombucha, the sparkling, slightly sweet-and-sour tea drink fermented with bacteria and yeast culture, is popping up everywhere from supermarkets (PepsiCo recently bought a Kombucha brewery) to fine dining (it’s on the menu at Sydney’s Quay restaurant). “Booch” devotees claim that it boosts overall health. Piece of cake Whimsical, fun and colourful cake decorating…

CHOCOLATE CUSTARD TART Serves 8-10 Prep and cook time 1 hour 15 minutes (+ refrigeration time) Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 22cm round fluted pan with removable base. In a food processor, process 2 cups plain flour, 185g chopped cold butter, 2 tablespoons icing sugar and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder together to form fine crumbs. With motor running, gradually add 2 tablespoons water until mixture comes together. Shape pastry into disc; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper. Ease pastry into pan; trim excess. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove paper and weights; bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 300ml cream, 150g chopped milk chocolate and ½ cup milk in a saucepan. Stir…