Tickled Pink

Prep 20 mins | Cook 25 mins | Makes 12

Chopped pistachios, to serve

1.  In a small saucepan, heat milk on medium until just below boiling. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk essence, yolks, caster sugar and cornflour until pale and creamy. Gradually add hot milk in a thin, steady stream, whisking to combine. Return mixture to saucepan. Whisk on low until custard boils and thickens. Stir in butter. Transfer custard to a heatproof bowl. Chill until cold.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small heatproof bowl, combine icing sugar and boiling water. Place bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (do not let base of bowl touch water). Stir until icing is smooth. Tint icing with pink food colouring. Remove from heat.

Prep 20 mins | Cook 25 mins + Cooling | Makes 6

Pink pearl cachous, pink sugar crystals, to decorate

1.  Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C. Grease 6 holes of a mini (1-cup) bundt tray. Prepare cake mix following the packet instructions. Divide batter between three bowls.

2.  Tint each bowl of batter with food colouring to achieve different shades of pink. Spread the palest cake batter over bases of prepared holes. Top with the next shade of cake batter. Bake 25 mins or until a skewer inserted into centre of cakes comes out clean. Stand in tray 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3.  Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, combine icing sugar, juice and water. Place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Stir until icing is smooth. Remove from heat.

Prep 30 mins + 5 hours chilling | Makes 6

¾ cup thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks

1.  Place 6 x 1¼-cup serving glasses on a tray. Divide raspberries between glasses. In a small heatproof bowl, combine jelly crystals and boiling water. Stir until crystals dissolve. Stir in the cold water. Pour jelly into prepared glasses. Chill 2 hours or until set.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small food processor, pulse strawberries and icing sugar until smooth. In a small jug, combine gelatin and extra boiling water until gelatin dissolves, then stir into strawberry mixture. Set aside 5 mins.

3.  In a bowl using an electric mixer. Beat egg white until firm peaks.

4.  Fold whipped cream into strawberry mixture. In two batches, fold egg white into strawberry mixture over jelly in prepared glasses. Chill 3 hours or until set. Serve topped with extra strawberries.