The Australians know their way around a barbecue. They also know a thing or two about cooking up a Christmas feast fit for soaring temperatures. Staples like prawn cocktail and white Christmas are fantastic for celebrating Christmas the Down Under way. There are also some seasonal familiarities like glazed ham. So when you find yourself with gorgeous weather come Christmas, take a hint from the Aussies and indulge in their best Christmas recipes.
1. No-Bake Choc Ripple Log
If you’re not one for baking, you can still have a show-stopping masterpiece with this recipe. There’s no baking required and you only need four ingredients, which makes this choc log utterly foolproof. As for the log itself, the inside is full of yummy choc ripple biscuits and the outside is a thick layer of vanilla cream. The decorations are also simple yet impressive. You can top it with fresh strawberries and mint to keep this light, or sprinkle on the chocolate shavings.
2. Aussie Eggnog
Don’t worry, eggnog fans. You can still have your nog and stick with an Australian Christmas theme because Aussies love this tradition, too. It’s got the standard ingredients of egg, milk, and cream. However, it’s sweetened with raw sugar, and you’ll have your choice of bourbon or cognac. This recipe will serve a group of four. So, if you have more company you may want to double up on the batch.
3. Easy Cheesy Potato Bake
Australian or not, every holiday should have a cheesy spud dish like this easy bake. Scalloped potatoes are fully loaded with a smothering of a creamy cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions. For a crisper top, you can put this under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Then give it a second to cool because it will be molten hot.
4. White Christmas
You can bet that at any Aussie Christmas you’ll find a platter of this goodie for dessert. This is a fun one to get the kids involved. It’s a nostalgic sweet that is similar to Rice Krispie treats. The difference is it features cherries, coconut, and cranberries. There’s even some white chocolate added to the mix to make these squares white like snow.
5. Christmas Salad
No Christmas spread is complete without a salad and this one is perfect. While this may not be a typical leafy green salad, it’s heavy on the veggies. The earthy sweetness of the roasted cinnamon pumpkin is well-balanced with savory speck, edamame, and peas. My favorite part, though, is the mango Moscato dressing. Although Aussies love their booze, don’t be alarmed. Moscato has very low alcohol by volume.
6. Easy Australian Oysters Kilpatrick
Oysters Kilpatricks is a marvelous Christmas appetizer to serve before your big Australian feast. These oysters are so popular, you can walk into any Australian pub, and you’ll see this on the menu. Whip this up at home, and you’ll find it’s remarkably easy. All you do is top the oysters with some bacon and Kilpatrick sauce. As for the sauce, it consists of Worcestershire, barbecue sauce, and tomato sauce. You can also cook these on the grill if you’re hosting a holiday cookout. Otherwise, you may want to add some liquid smoke for the full effect.
7. Super Easy Australian Trifle with Custard
Looking for an effortless Christmas dessert? Grab a large trifle bowl and make this stunning piece. Swiss jam roll makes up the cakey layer while thick double cream custard makes up the creamy component. As for the sweet layer, you’ll use canned fruit and port jelly wine. You can make this a couple of days in advance. However, freezing will alter the texture, so I would avoid this if possible.
8. Prawn Cocktail
Australian prawn cocktail is one of my favorite appetizers. This classic is wildly fresh and comes together in a snap. Succulent prawns rest on top of a bed of lettuce that gets a drizzle of a creamy spicy sauce. It’s best to make this dish right before serving. If it sits around too long the sauce will become a pooled mess.
9. Australian Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
Forget figgy pudding. It’s hot outside, so make a pudding out of ice cream instead. This gigantic mound of ice cream is a heavenly mold that’s sweet and spiced. You’ll start with a fruit mixture that gets spiced up just right with cinnamon, nutmeg, and mixed spice. You’ll also add a good glug of rum to the mix. Mix that with some vanilla ice cream then freeze in a mold. For the toppings, magic chocolate and maraschino cherries give the pudding the full sundae effect.
10. Maple Glazed Ham
Even Australians love a glazed Christmas ham! Maple glazed ham is a tradition that is served as the main course. It’s classy, festive, and jolly good tasty. To infuse the ham with flavor and keep it moist, you’ll want to baste every 20 minutes or so. Be sure to hone your carving knife so you’ll get the perfect piece slice after slice.
11. The Perfect Seafood Platter
An ocean-fresh seafood platter is a prime choice for an Australian Christmas. It’s great to serve the neighbors during a holiday street party. It’s also an excellent choice for Christmas lunch. When choosing seafood, you’ll want to pick a mixture of the freshest shellfish you can get your hands on. Lobster, mussel, prawns, and oysters are always a supreme combination. Additionally, you want a handful of toppings to go with the shellfish. Melted butter, lemon wedges, hot sauce, and mignonette dressing work particularly well.
12. Australian Pavlova
Like all the best Australian desserts, pavlova is a traditional delicacy that is a surefire winner. This striking dessert is a fluffy meringue base that’s got a crisp shell on the outside and angelically soft inside. What truly pulls it all together, though, is the colorful topping of fresh fruit and powdered sugar.
13. Surf and Turf Skewers with Barbecued Zucchini
Hitting the beach to check out the fun tradition of surfing Santas? Bring these skewers with you. King prawns are the surf while the chicken is the turf. There are also a few skewers of fresh zucchini, which taste even better grilled if you ask me. Everything thrown on the barbie tastes better with some sort of dressing or marinade to enhance the flavors. This one gets a citrus chili dressing that is on point.
14. Rum Balls
Holiday treats or gift bag goodies, rum balls are excellent to have on hand. They’ll only take 20 minutes to make and are ridiculously easy at that. Plus, there’s no baking or heating required. Just mix shredded coconut, cocoa powder, condensed milk, and chopped cookies. Of course, you’ll want to add a splash of rum, too. These are so poppable, I could polish off a batch by myself, so I like to double up on the recipe.
15. Rum and Coca Cola Glazed Ham
Did you know that cola glazed ham isn’t just a southern delicacy, but also an Aussie favorite? The twist to this version involves a good amount of rum and a double dose of citrus. I love how the orange juice and marmalade melds with the cola to intensify the flavor. For extra zip, add in some grated zest.
16. Christmas Rocky Road
Another Christmas tradition the Australians do that’s similar to America is rocky road. I find this confection to be super festive given the mix of cranberries, marshmallows, and chocolate. But rather than walnuts or almonds, it has pistachios and macadamia nuts to make it extra special.
17. Creamy Garlic Prawns
One Australian Christmas tradition is to do a prawn run to the store on Christmas morning. That way you know they’re ultra-fresh. However, even if you have to use frozen prawns, this vivacious recipe should be on the list. Juicy prawns swim in a rich cream sauce that’s infused with white wine and a solid amount of garlic. For a thicker sauce, you’ll want to opt for heavy cream, or even double cream if you can find some.
18. Christmas Jelly Slice
There’s something about the sight of a giggly jelly slice that invokes a sense of Christmas cheer. Whether it’s the color or the taste, this is a fun dessert to add to the mix. Like many Australian recipes, this one’s no-bake. Which shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s so hot there in December. The process of getting each layer to meld will take some time, but the reward of grinning smiles will be worth the effort.
19. 20-Minute Cheese and Bacon Cob Loaf Dip
Australians make Christmas an all-day affair, which means you’ll need a handful of good recipes. For a tasty nibble in between meals, serve up this loaf dip. You’ll take a bread bowl and hollow out the middle, then fill it with a cheesy bacon mixture and bake it until bubbling hot. Then stand back, because the stampede is coming!
20. Passionfruit Pavlova
Ending on a high note, I present to you the finest Christmas showpiece, passionfruit pavlova. The whimsical adornment of whipped cream and passionfruit pulp forms a glowing crown. Meanwhile, underneath rests a pillowy meringue cake. It’s tart, it’s sour, it’s sweet, and it’s a smashing way to finish off a Christmas feast. Click on a star to rate it!
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