Christmas

The contrast of salty and sweet in the pear and proscuitto stuffing adds great depth of flavour to this roast turkey with herbed butter.

My mum recently handed me a real treasure – an exercise book that was used for recipes by my great-grandmother. I never knew my great-grandmother, but I certainly recognise some of her recipes from my visits to Nan’s house. It has been compiled with patience and love, and gives me an insight into a woman I never met. It is a privilege to now have her cookbook. This cake is from an era where home cooks were incredibly frugal, as everyday ingredients, such as butter, were in short supply.

There was usually a tin of condensed milk in the fridge at home when I was growing up and my guilty pleasure was drinking it out of the can!

Drizzled in a toffee syrup and plump with fruit and nuts, this cake will be the centrepiece of your Christmas table.

When it comes to canapés, smoked salmon and dill is always a crowd pleaser.

Rich, fruity and aromatic with brandy, this steamed Christmas pudding is gorgeous served warm with either brandy butter, double cream or vanilla custard.

Filled with plump raisins and drizzled with a rich chocolate glaze, this luscious cake makes the perfect afternoon treat or dessert.

These festive loaves make for wonderful Christmas gifts.

Plump with fruit, this delicious apricot fruit cake is perfect with your morning or afternoon cuppa.

This colourful, nutritious salad would be perfect served with grilled meat.

Make this stunning, celestial ham the centrepiece of your Christmas table.

It is all in the title; delectable, rich and to add more, delicious and moorish. A great Christmas recipe.

There is something oh so 70s about these familiar baby pink and white, sweet coconutty treats. They were as sure to please back then as they are now.

Icing stars can be purchased at cake decorating suppliers. Note

If you have trouble stacking the truffles, secure them through the centre of the truffles with strong wooden toothpicks. Note

Stunning and simple, this fruit cake tastes just like Christmas.

This recipe is an updated version of an old favourite cake dating back to the 1960s. Store in the fridge, well-sealed, then cut while it’s cold: it soon comes to room temperature. Note

This stunning salmon dish is perfect for a special occasion such as Christmas.

Drizzled in sweet toffee, these almond and cranberry wreath biscuits make wonderful Christmas gifts.

This fruit cake is deliciously moist and looks beautiful decorated with almonds. It can last up to 12 months, but we think you'll polish it off well before then.

The lobster meat in the tail is the sweetest and most delicately flavoured. Enjoy this decadent salad.

Slice this delicious pork loin thickly and serve with roasted vegetables; there'll be no complaints. To make sure the crackling maintains its crunchy deliciousness, don't cover it too tightly when resting the meat.

Gluten-free and dairy-free, the flavours and textures of this cake will not disappoint.

The perfect Christmas summer dessert.

Singapore chilli crab is this island nation's unofficial national dish and, like Singapore itself, is an amalgam of the best of its Malaysian, Indian and Chinese past.

No Christmas would be complete without a rich fruit cake such as this orange-scented beauty.

Give your traditional shortbread a twist with this chocolate pistachio shortbread recipe from the Women's Weekly! Delicious as an afternoon tea treat, or wrapped in cellophane for homemade Christmas food gift.

Nothing says decadence quite like a platter of fresh oysters. Drizzle them with these three fresh, fragrant and delicious Asian inspired dressings and watch them disappear.

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my very goodness. This homemade Irish creme liqueur makes a wonderful and unique Christmas gift. But be warned, you may not want to give it away.

These rich and boozy dark chocolate truffles are rudely rich and delicious. They make a perfect after dinner treat, just for when you thought you couldn't eat another bite.

For an elegant Christmas dessert, try this cheat's ice-cream terrine served with fresh berries. For a more layered look, you could use two different flavours of ice-cream.

Teaming sweet flavours with salt is not a new discovery, but in recent years the combination of salt and caramel has worked its way from the culinary elite to mainstream tastes. And a good thing, too.

There are few platters more impressive than those piled high with fresh, local seafood. Finish off the jewels of the sea with delicious dipping sauces; serve with chilled white wine, or go all the way with a bottle of bubbles.

This is the trifle to end all trifles, the recipe for the ultimate trifle. Sponge fingers, liqueur, raspberries, strawberries and a liqueur spiked mascarpone cream. Delicious.

Loaves can be made up to 2 days ahead; store in an airtight container. Loaves are suitable to freeze. Note

This celestial leg of ham will be the centrepiece of your Christmas table.

It's important not to overcrowd the turkey, fennel and lemon in the baking dish so they cook evenly and caramelise.

This colourful fruit and white chocolate slice makes the perfect Christmas gift.

What a delightful way to enjoy the flavour of eggnog. These macarons are the perfect, light accompaniment to Christmas dinner, and would make a unique and thoughtful gift for your host.

Reserve the rind from the ham after it has been removed. When storing the ham (or the leftovers), re-cover the leg’s cut surface with the reserved rind ­ this will keep it moist. Use a small sharp knife to cut through the rind about 10cm from the shank end of the leg. Gently lift rind […]

Crispy snow pea, prawn & avocado salad is perfect for a summer entertaining lunch.

Take an eaton mess, replace the pav with macaroons and add some custard and you have this deliciously layered raspberry dessert in mere moments.

For a gift-giving idea, spray a bamboo steamer (available from Asian food stores) with silver spray, line with tissue and fill with little cakes. Wrap it completely in cellophane and tie with a ribbon. Substitute brandy for Irish whiskey, if you like.

This perfect Christmas midday snack goes well with a glass of mulled wine.

The pudding is best made on the day of serving. Rum sauce can be made a day ahead, store, covered, in the fridge. Reheat the sauce before serving either in a microwave oven or over low heat in a small saucepan until hot. Note

This plump, sticky fruit loaf is a cinch to make and simply delicious.

Keep things simple with this delicious, plump sultana cake.

Sago, also known as seed or pearl tapioca, comes from the sago palm and is used in soups and desserts, and as a thickening agent. You can use Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao or any other orange- flavoured liqueur in this recipe.

Pomegranate and fennel salad makes a fresh, fruity side for this tender pineapple-glazed ham. This simple meal makes a great alternative Christmas lunch or festive meal.

A crunchy almond topping makes this delicious Christmas fruit cake different from the rest. Perfect served with a pot of hot tea.

Sandwiched with brandy butter cream, these stacked hazelnut and orange spice cookies make a stunning Christmas treat.

Edible gift tag cookies are an adorable way to personalise your presents this Christmas - but perhaps wait until Christmas Day to attach them to your gifts.

White Christmas is taken to the next level with these sweet treats in the shape of mini Christmas trees.

These spicy oysters are sure to win over your guests at a barbeque or cocktail party. You can make the spicy dressing in the morning and dress the oysters just prior to serving.

The whole orange at the heart of this jaffa steamed pudding perfumes the entire dish as it cooks.

store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to serve. Ice-cream pops will keep for up to a week. Make the ice-cream pops 1 or 2 days ahead. Use rounded ice-cube trays if possible. Note

The key to making a success of the meal on a big day is all about planning and preparation. If you’re not already a list-maker, become one; having a list will make everything seem so much easier. The special meals, like this wonderful lobster dish, will come together nicely.

Have you always wanted to roast a goose for Christmas day? Here's your chance with this simple recipe. Don't let the addition of chicken giblets put you off, they help the stuffing graduate from delicious to amazing!

Use 250g marinara mix or your favourite seafood in this recipe. Note

There are many flavours in this exquisite chocolate winter pudding, lavender, honey, chocolate and orange, that mingle and flow together to create something rather beautiful.

Light, zesty and crumbly, these beautiful shortbread biscuits are beautiful enjoyed with a cup of tea or given as gifts to loved ones.

Fresh ginger dressing really brings this prawn and avocado salad to life. Perfect for a light lunch on the deck with friends, served with crusty bread and dry white wine.

That feeling when you realise you haven't made a Christmas cake and then discover our fabulous last-minute recipe.

A classic family favourite, this beautiful roast chicken dish is full of flavour from the baked fennel and garlic, and best of all you can cook almost the whole meal in one pan.

Quick, juicy and tender, these roasted pork fillets with orange make a great mid-week dinner. Serve with some crusty bread and a green salad.

Like a pared back version of Eton mess, with strawberries alone rather than a mix of berries, this strawberry meringue cream also has a shot of liqueur to spice things up.

Steeping the fruit in Grand Marnier make this Christmas cake extra delectable. If you're storing before decorating, you can poke a few holes in the top and splash a little liqueur over the cake then wrap, and repeat.

The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this delicious candied orange peel recipe can be included in desserts, cakes and savoury dishes like tagines.

Rich, fudgey and utterly decadent, the combination of chocolate and coffee flavours makes this mocha fudge irresistible. Serve with a shot of liqueur for a sophisticated dessert.

This deliciously tender roast goose recipe is stuffed with a pisatchio and fig stuffing, perfectly balancing sweet and nutty. It's the perfect meal for a special occasion like Christmas.

Cake can be made up to three months ahead. Note

If you have a sugar (candy) thermometer, use it for these recipes. These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! Note

You need two large (460g) overripe bananas to get the amount of mashed banana. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, boil the syrup until it’s thick with heavy bubbles. Remove from heat, let bubbles subside, then reassess the thickness of the syrup. Note

Christmas cutters are available from all good kitchenware shops or cake decorating shops. Note

This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Give the traditional gingerbread people an Aussie spin with these adorable gingerbread biscuits dressed in their togs!

You need about 2 large carrots for this recipe. This cake can be made 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated. Note

Gingerbread can be made up to a week ahead, store in an airtight container. The house can be assembled 5 days ahead, keep covered in a cool dry place. In hot humid weather, the toffee should be made on the day of serving. Note

This recipe makes a lot of little one-bite shortbreads. If you like, make 50 shortbreads and freeze the remaining log, wrapped in baking paper then plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before slicing and baking. You will need to halve the butter cream frosting if only baking 50 shortbreads. […]

equipment 25cm (10-inch) round wooden cake board Smoothing tools Set of 3 snowflake plunger cutters (small, medium, large) Fine artist’s paint brush Paper piping bag The sanding sugar gives the snowflakes a lovely texture, however, if you can’t find it, don’t worry, the snowflakes look divine without it. Snowflakes can be made months ahead. Store […]

If you want, yo u can prepare the cake with almond paste (marzipan) before covering it with ready-made icing. Note

The fruit mix is enough to make a pudding, a cake and a dozen mince pies. Note

Panettone are easy to find around Christmas time, at other times they may not be as readily available. You can use brioche instead, adding a handful of sultanas, or thick-cut fruit bread. Note

If you can’t find dried cherries, use the equivalent amount of extra dried cranberries instead. Note

This pudding can be made a week ahead; store, covered, in the fridge, or freeze for up to 2 months. Brandy cream sauce can be made a day ahead; store, covered, in the fridge. Note

These nuts are so moreish it will be hard to hand them over; to prevent such a dilemma, double the quantity and the problem is solved! Note