A Taste of Christmas: Four Traditional Recipes to Share at Home There is something wonderfully comforting about Christmas traditions. The decorations come out, familiar songs begin to play and, before long, the kitchen is filled with the aromas and flavours that somehow make it truly feel like Christmas. For many of us, some of our fondest Christmas memories are made around the table; preparing food together, sharing family favourites and perhaps sneaking a taste before everything is quite ready! As the Festive Season is upon us, we are sharing four much-loved recipes that bring a little tradition, colour and sweetness to the festive table. 1. Classic Christmas Fruit Mince Pies Small, sweet and unmistakably Christmassy, fruit mince pies are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee after Christmas lunch. Ingredients 2 sheets sweet shortcrust pastry 1½ cups fruit mince 1 egg, lightly beaten Icing sugar, for dusting Method Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 12-hole patty pan. Cut rounds of pastry large enough to line each hole. Spoon approximately one tablespoon of fruit mince into each pastry case. Cut smaller pastry rounds or festive stars for the tops. Brush lightly with beaten egg and bake for around 15–20 minutes, or until beautifully golden. Allow to cool slightly before dusting with icing sugar. Christmas tip: Serve slightly warm with a little vanilla custard or cream. 2. Honey & Mustard Glazed Christmas Ham For many Australian families, Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without a beautifully glazed ham taking centre stage. Ingredients 1 cooked leg ham ½ cup honey ½ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons orange juice Whole cloves Method Preheat oven to 160°C. Carefully remove the rind from the ham, leaving the layer of fat underneath. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and place a clove into the centre of each diamond. Combine the honey, brown sugar, mustard and orange juice. Brush generously over the ham. Bake for approximately 60–90 minutes, brushing with additional glaze every 20 minutes, until golden and caramelised. Christmas tip: The leftovers are almost as good as Christmas lunch itself, perfect for Boxing Day sandwiches! 3. Traditional Australian Pavlova Crisp on the outside, soft and marshmallowy in the centre, a pavlova topped with summer fruit is made for an Australian Christmas. Ingredients 4 egg whites, at room temperature 1 cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 300ml thickened cream Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or your favourite summer fruit Method Preheat oven to 120°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, beating until the mixture is thick, glossy and the sugar has dissolved. Gently fold through the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. Spoon onto the prepared tray, forming a round with a slight hollow in the centre. Bake for approximately 1½ hours, then turn off the oven and allow the pavlova to cool completely inside. Top with softly whipped cream and plenty of fresh summer fruit just before serving. Christmas tip: Add passionfruit over the top for an extra splash of summer. 4. Old-Fashioned Rum Balls A nostalgic Christmas favourite and perhaps the easiest recipe of them all. These are wonderful to make ahead and keep in the fridge for unexpected Christmas visitors. Ingredients 250g plain sweet biscuits, finely crushed 1 cup desiccated coconut, plus extra for rolling 2 tablespoons cocoa 395g can sweetened condensed milk 2–3 tablespoons dark rum, to taste Method Combine the crushed biscuits, coconut and cocoa in a large bowl. Add the condensed milk and rum and mix until well combined. Roll tablespoons of mixture into small balls, then coat in additional coconut. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. For an alcohol-free version, simply leave out the rum and add a little vanilla essence instead. From Our Home to Yours Christmas food doesn't need to be complicated. Sometimes it is the recipes we have made year after year, the ones written on old pieces of paper, passed down through families or simply remembered by heart, that mean the most. Because ultimately, Christmas isn't about creating the perfect table. It's about the people gathered around it, the stories shared, the laughter from the kitchen and the memories we take with us into another year.
