With Christmas just a few days away, I’m getting ready to cook! I thought I’d share some of my favourite Christmas recipes with you. These recipes are our Christmas traditions for every year. This year, I tried to change it up a bit – my son said an adamant, “NO!”. He said it wouldn’t be Christmas without all these wonderful foods. So, I guess I’m stuck with them forever!
As you know, us Kiwis celebrate Christmas when it’s hot outside. Summer is upon us and we tend to spend most of our time outside. Where I live, it’s often hot but raining around this time of year, with better weather coming in January.
While a lot of Kiwis have migrated to having a summer barbecue for Christmas dinner, my family is steeped in tradition, so we don’t. Here’s our Christmas menu.
Our Christmas menu is actually pretty simple and most can be made before the day. I tend to prepare everything on Christmas Eve so I only have to put things into the oven on Christmas Day.
Lots of Kiwis also eat Turkey at Christmas but we don't. I know this sounds ridiculous to be eating all this hot food on a hot day, and I agree, it is. But that’s the way we’ve always done it.
Dessert is really the main event in our house. As I said, I can’t get away with changing anything so here’s what I make.
I’ve never shared my trifle recipe, maybe I will do that after Christmas. I’ve also never shared my Christmas pudding recipe but it’s basically a hot version of a Christmas cake, although different. I use my Mum’s (probably my Grandmother’s traditional recipe). Whenever you have Christmas pudding, you also must have custard. I sometimes make this dairy free, and sometimes not.
After all the food is eaten (well the first sitting anyway) we pass out in a food coma for the rest of the day. My evil plan here is for me not to have to cook for at least another few days so I make sure there’s plenty of leftovers and a big salad in the fridge. That way, it’s help yourself meals for the next little while.
Now, doesn’t that sound good?
Here are the recipes that I’m sharing today. I hope you enjoy these recipes and please, leave me a comment and let me know if you make any of them.
Over the years there have been many! Different recipes, gluten and gluten free. I thought I’d share my favourites with you here.
First, I must apologise for the photo – it’s a really old one that I just haven’t gotten around to updating. Don’t worry, it doesn’t take away from the cake at all. Back then the images I used on my website were really small. Maybe this year, I’ll update it, you never know.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a good gluten free Christmas cake recipe, here’s my favourite one.
This Christmas cake has a wonderful story behind it. Aunty Doreen is actually not my Aunt but my friend’s. If you’re looking for a really great, fruit filled Christmas cake recipe, this one is it. (Once again, not a great photo but it doesn’t affect the taste – what is it about me not being able to take good Christmas cake photos!)
When I lived in Canada, I couldn’t understand why there were no mince pies for Christmas. People who I asked said things like, “You want a meat pie for Christmas?”. Not a meat pie, a wonderful, rich, alcohol filled fruit pie!
These are a wonderful New Zealand tradition – this is my gluten free version.
BEWARE – if you try them, you’ll never go back!
Pavlova is a controversial dessert! The Aussies like to think they invented it but Kiwis know better (or so the story goes). It is said to be named after Russian Ballerina Anna Pavlova. I won’t get into that. All I know, is that it is the most wonderful dessert and it’s actually pretty easy to make. It also looks way impressive if you take it with you to pot luck dinner party.
In this blog post I give you my best tips and tricks for making one. I’ll be making mine tomorrow but not decorating it until Christmas morning. That’s the fun part!
Please let me know if you decide to make any of these wonderful dishes.
I hope you have the most amazing Christmas and a very happy New Year. Blessings to your Whānau (family).
I look forward to you joining me again in the New Year.
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December 22, 2022
Hi, my name is Carol Karl. I live in little old New Zealand. My family and I strive to live the most ‘real’ life we can – by that I mean that we eat real food, we live real lives and just generally be our most authentic selves.
