Over the past six years Julie Biuso has shared some of her favourite and most popular dessert recipes with Taste magazine readers. They were too good to simply be left there, so here they are all together in a gorgeous cookbook, for easy reference.

An intriguing mix of family favourites, special occasion treats, easy iced desserts, chocolate delights and cakes given a contemporary twist, all tried-and-true and thoroughly tested as you would expect from this author who prides herself on fail-proof recipes.

This irresistible content, photographed expertly by award-winning photographer Aaron McLean, forms the backbone of the book, but all new Cooking Classes with step-by-step photography featuring cooking and baking techniques and How-to's feature in every chapter. There is also an extensive Glossary and a useful Tips section, ensuring the book is packed with helpful information and guidance for any home cook eager to improve their culinary skills while adding to their recipe repertoire.

SAMLE RECIPE

Lemon delicious (pictured left)

Ready in 1 hour | serves 6
This pudding – a soft buttery sponge with crusty edge and a gooey custardy bottom – is aptly named.

75g unsalted butter, cubed then softened
175g caster sugar
3 large (size 7) free-range eggs, separated and at room temperature
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
100g self-raising flour
100ml lemon juice
175ml milk, at room temperature
icing sugar, for dusting
lightly whipped cream, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 170°C (regular bake).

2 Put butter in a large bowl and briefly beat with an electric beater until creamy and loose. Beat in caster sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue beating until fluffy and lighter in colour, stopping the machine and scraping the sides of the bowl down several times. Beat egg yolks together with a fork, then gradually add them to creamed butter and sugar with lemon zest, adding 2 tablespoons of the measured flour halfway through beating to help stabilise the mixture. Sift over a third of the remaining flour, fold in with a large spoon, then work in half the lemon juice. Add another third of flour, then the rest of the lemon juice, and finally the rest of the flour and the milk.

3 Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Work in one-third of the egg whites with a large spoon, then carefully fold in remainder.

4 Spoon into a 1.5-litre baking dish and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until light golden brown on top and pulling away from the sides of the dish. Serve hot or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar and with lightly whipped cream.

Author Biography

Julie Biuso has written 14 cookbooks, a number of which have been with New Holland, including Never-ending Summer, Sizzle, Take a vine-ripened tomato … and her memoir, Dancing on my Table. She has a large and loyal following through her regular contributions to radio, television and magazines and her popular appearances at food shows and her own cooking school. Julie has won a string of awards for her books, her writing and her achievements, including a Montana NZ Book Award, a Gold Ladle at the Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Awards and several Gourmand World Cookbook awards. Auckland-based Aaron McLean worked for a decade in restaurants before taking up a camera. Today he is recognised as one of New Zealand's leading food and lifestyle photographers and his photography is regularly seen in Taste, NZ Life & Leisure, Dish, Cuisine and a growing number of books.