February saw the Chinese New Year celebrated with a burst of ingenious pastry creations. At the Shangri-La, Sydney, Anna Polyviou created a Chinese fusion High Tea including black sesame desserts and scones.

Down the road at Barangaroo restaurant 12-Micron, Ashley Smith created a Chinese New Year dessert degustation, fusing Australian bush flavours with Chinese ingredients and dishing up strawberry cheesecake with herbaceous shisho jelly and riberry; black sesame quinelle with finger lime and liquorice; and matcha tart with Davidson plum sorbet.

In Melbourne, Lune Croissanterie popped-up in David Jones for Chinese New Year, offering cruffin pastries, inspired by salted duck egg custard buns and pineapple tarts.