Love your mum? Then bake her one of these sweet treats

If you're looking to whip up something special for Mother's Day, it's a great place to start.

Saying "l love you" is easy with this cheat's blushing berry pastry.

Ingredients

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C fan forced. Place two baking trays in the oven. Place strawberries on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

2. Use electric beaters to beat the butter, sugar and egg in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add almond meal, flour and vanilla and stir until combined.

3. Place each sheet of pastry on a sheet of baking paper. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out a large heart shape from each pastry sheet. Score a border 1cm from the edge. Use a fork to prick pastry all over.

4. Divide the mixture between pastry hearts and spread to the border. Arrange the strawberry slices on top. Carefully slide pastries and baking paper onto the hot trays.

5. Bake, swapping trays halfway through, for 20 minutes or until pastry is crisp. Brush with jam and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Cook's tip: Switch up strawberries for fresh blueberries, or thinly sliced blackberries or raspberries.

Makes 2.

Stack the deck with these impressive (but easy) biscuit towers.

Ingredients

Method

1. Use electric beaters to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour until combined. Add the cocoa and beat until combined. Add food colouring to tint red. Beat until evenly coloured. Add the vinegar and beat until combined.

2. Transfer the mixture to a clean work surface. Knead until smooth. Divide into two portions. Shape each portion into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes or until firm.

3. Preheat the oven to 160C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roll out one portion of dough between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Use a 6.5cm-diameter round fluted pastry cutter to cut eight circles from dough. Transfer to prepared tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until just firm. Set aside on tray for five minutes to cool slightly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Place cream in a microwave-safe jug and microwave for one minute or until simmering. Pour cream over chocolate. Set aside for five minutes or until chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes or until slightly firm. Use a fork to beat until smooth.

5. To assemble, spoon ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm star nozzle. Pipe ganache onto one biscuit. Continue layering with another three biscuits, finishing with ganache. Top with white chocolate curls. Repeat with remaining biscuits and ganache.

Cook's tip: To make chocolate curls, run a vegetable peeler down the back (flat side) of a block of chocolate.

Makes 4.

There's a Mint Slice hidden in every slice of this luxe chocolate pie.

Ingredients

Chocolate pastry:

Method

1. To make the pastry, process flour, icing sugar and cocoa in a food processor until combined. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and milk. Process until the dough just comes together. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth. Shape into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

2. Roll out the dough on a sheet of baking paper to a 4mm-thick disc. Line a 3cm-deep 24cm (base size) round fluted tart tin with removable base with dough. Trim excess. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

3. Preheat oven to 180C fan forced. Line pastry with baking paper. Fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pastry weights or rice and paper. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until cooked through and crisp. Set aside to cool.

4. Place the butter and 100g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, for one to two minutes or until melted and smooth. Spread over the pastry base. Press biscuits on top in a single layer. Place hot water in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with gelatine and stir until well combined. Place bowl in a larger heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water into the larger bowl until it reaches halfway up the side of the smaller bowl. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for two to three minutes or until the gelatine dissolves. Remove smaller bowl from water and set aside to cool slightly.

5. Meanwhile, use electric beaters to beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add sugar and cream. Beat until well combined. Beat in white chocolate and essence. Add food colouring to tint green and beat until evenly coloured. Beat in gelatine. Pour into the pastry case. Place in the fridge for three to four hours or until set.

6. Place the remaining chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, for one to two minutes or until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the pie to decorate. Top with mint leaves.

Makes 12.

Whip up this beautiful fruity-floral slice for special occasions.

Ingredients

Raspberry cheesecake:

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan forced. Grease a 4.5cm-deep, 22.5 x 33cm (base size) slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the long sides. Use electric beaters to beat the sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until well combined. Stir in the flours, sour cream and milk in alternating batches until just combined.

2. Transfer the mixture to prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in pan on a wire rack to cool.

3. Meanwhile, to make cheesecake. Place the frozen raspberries, 55g sugar and one tablespoon of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Set aside to cool.

4. Use electric beaters to beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in a bowl until smooth. Place 60ml cold water in a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over the gelatine and stir until well combined. Place bowl inside a larger heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water into the larger bowl until it reaches halfway up the side of the smaller bowl. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for five minutes or until gelatine dissolves. Add to raspberry puree and stir until combined.

5. Use clean beaters to whisk cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add raspberry mixture and stir until combined. Use a large metal spoon to fold the whipped cream and rosewater into cream mixture. Spread mixture over cooled cake. Smooth surface. Place in fridge for at least four hours or overnight to set.

6. Transfer the cake to a serving board and cut in half lengthways, then into slices. Press the pistachios into the edges of each slice. Top with the fresh raspberries, meringues and rose petals.

Makes 16.