30 Of Our Most Decadent Dessert Recipes

When sugar cravings hit, turn to something unabashedly decadent: baked coffee custard, one big banana and berry cake smothered in cream cheese frosting, a zesty tart topped with mulled wine tamarillos. Scroll for these and 27 other recipes for your day's sweet note.

Cherry & Chocolate TartA little cocoa in the pastry adds a touch of decadence. The almond essence is optional in this recipe, but a spoonful (or three) of whipped cream or Greek yoghurt to serve is a must. We also make this tart with plums or, when in season, quartered figs.

Baked Coffee & Chocolate CustardIf you have eggs, milk and some instant coffee, you can whip this baked custard up with little effort. Smooth and velvety, it is a delightful touch after the main course. To dress it up a bit, decorate with chocolate coffee beans.

Gluten-Free Fig & Raspberry LoafThe fig season is short, so hunt down a few while they are around. If you can get them straight from a tree, even better. When they disappear, replace them with other seasonal fruit, such as pears or apples, or add extra berries. Frozen berries work a treat too.

Lemon Almond Tart With Mulled Wine TamarillosThis is a showstopper of a tart. The deep, dark tamarillos add a great kick and colour to it, with plenty of gorgeous mulled wine flavours.

White Chocolate, Ricotta & Berry Ripple CheesecakeThis cheesecake looks as good as it tastes. For the best results, make this cheesecake the day before to leave in the fridge to set overnight or you can make it on the day.

Tropical Pavlova Stack With Pineapple, Honeydew Melon & KiwifruitWe love this luscious, layered pavlova come Christmas, but it's perfect for any summertime family get-together. You can make pavlovas up to two weeks before they are needed, storing them in airtight containers.

Individual Praline, Blueberry & Mascarpone TriflesAlmond praline, marsala-cooked blueberries, fresh apricots and sponge cake, indulgently assembled (use tinned apricots when fresh are not in season).

Apple Sponge Cake With Lemon Curd CreamCombine this cake with care to create a light-as-air sponge perfect for afternoon tea or as an after-dinner treat. To make it a little more special, add cherries or strawberries to the centre and you are bound to impress.

Creme CaramelEnd your meal on a high note with this gorgeous dessert that's light, delicate and custardy. Remove the ramekins from the fridge 15 minutes before serving to optimise the texture of the sweet caramel.

Strawberry TiramisuCreamy and delicious with a hint of marsala, this light Italian coffee-flavoured dessert is perfect for a last-minute quick assembly. You can make individual ones or a larger one to serve a crowd.

Banana Cake With Macadamia & BlackberryA banana cake worth celebrating, and incidentally, perfect for celebrating. A moist, sweet cake of macadamia, blackberry and banana is topped generously with cream cheese frosting and honey-sweetened lemon curd.

Donna Hay's Raspberry & Yoghurt ScrollsThe beauty of these scrolls is that all the magic happens in your humble frying pan. Plus, the yoghurt keeps them super moist and fluffy, says Donna Hay.

Silky Chocolate Mousse & Red Wine PrunesGood-quality chocolate is the key to this silky mousse. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the richer the result.

Vegan Tofu Creme BruleeDon't forget to keep an eye on it while caramelising the top of this vegan creme brulee there's nothing more annoying than burning the sugar.

Gluten-Free White Chocolate, Orange & Mango CheesecakeWe have pureed mango to put on the top for decoration. If they are not available, fresh or frozen berries will look just as gorgeous.

Baked Lemon SouffleTake your dinner party to the next level and give a hot souffle a go. This can be prepared in advance up to the point where you beat the egg whites, so the last bit of work is relatively speedy.

Nigel Slater's Marsala Almond Chocolate SliceA rich, chocolatey indulgence from the beloved British food writer's A Cook's Book.

John Gregory-Smith's Pomegranate & Rosewater Mille-FeuilleThis modern take on the classic French custard slice, flavoured with pomegranate and rosewater, makes a stunning centrepiece.

Pistachio, Ginger & Rosewater IcecreamThe flavour in this icecream increases as it softens. Dried rose petals are easy to make, and they're a beautiful garnish.

Raw Banoffee PieIn this recipe, Eleanor Ozich has given banoffee a slightly healthier makeover, but you'd almost never know. Its nutty-date base is topped with salted almond butter caramel, sliced bananas and a decadently luscious vanilla cream filling.

Baked Ricotta With Poached Pears & HoneyBaked ricotta is so easy to make. Here, the creamy baked texture with honey and fennel is sublime, and the soft poached pears add a subtle, sweet flavour.

Baked Chocolate & Raspberry CheesecakeA rich, raspberry-filled cheesecake that boasts a biscuity base and ample chocolate to boot.

Key Lime Pie With Quick Candied LimesCitrus fans will adore this zesty dessert, with its biscuity base, limey filling and candied topping.

Salted Honey & Cardamom Flan With Vanilla BeanLightly sweetened with honey, this velvety baked custard has the merest hint of cardamom and vanilla, just enough to tickle your senses and ignite your taste buds.

Vegan Brownies With CashewsWith a generous dollop of coconut yoghurt on top, this vegan brownie recipe makes the perfect dessert and looks gorgeous with a sprinkle of raspberry powder.

Almond Tart With Ricotta, Orange & CinnamonThis rustic almond and ricotta tart is robust in flavour, yet not overly sweet. Scented with orange zest and honey, its filling is soft and buttery with surprising little bursts of juicy raisins. Best served with thick Greek yoghurt or vanilla-specked icecream.

Turmeric, Honey & Ginger Tarts With Buckwheat CrustThe filling in these golden tarts is lusciously silky, and combines turmeric, honey and ginger to create a gently spiced dessert. The tart crust is a throw-together affair, with contrasting textures of soft, fudgy dates and crunchy buckwheat groats.

Peach Madeira CakeThis cake works equally well with other seasonal fruit. Try plums now, or later in the year feijoas and pears would be wonderful.

Pistachio Meringue DiscsFill these light-as-a-feather meringues with date puree, lemon curd and cream. If you think meringues should always be a little soft and squishy, then fill them with the cream mixture ahead of time.

White Chocolate Tart With TamarillosThis beautiful tart combines crisp pastry with mousse-like white chocolate filling. If taking on a picnic, carry the tamarillos in a separate container. The tamarillos are also a delight on their own, served with a scoop of ice cream.