Use your microwave to simplify Christmas desserts

How Your Microwave Can Rescue Christmas Dessert This Year

The holidays have a way of pushing every appliance to its limit - especially the oven. With trays of roast veggies, glazed hams and baked sides fighting for space, dessert can feel like an afterthought. That’s where the microwave quietly steps up. It’s fast, dependable and perfect for the kind of cosy, familiar desserts many of us grew up eating at Christmas.

This year we’re shining a light on two microwave-friendly treats made with help from our long-standing brand partner Fairy Margarine. Fairy has been part of Australian home baking for generations, and these recipes tap into that same sense of warm family traditions - the sort of things you learnt from nannas, aunties and family friends. The methods use Fairy in simple, everyday ways: greasing the bowl, melting it to blend with the wet ingredients, or whisking it into the batter to help everything come together.

Each dessert cooks beautifully in the microwave, giving you that classic homemade feel without tying up the oven for hours.

1. A Christmas pudding that keeps the tradition, not the time commitment

Christmas pudding usually means long simmering and lots of planning ahead, but the microwave version keeps the heart of the recipe while making it weeknight-easy. Once the fruit mix is stirred together and the wet ingredients are folded through, the pudding goes into a microwave-safe bowl and cooks low and steady.

Some of the key cues from the method:

• Use lower power so the pudding cooks gently and stays moist.

• Don’t stress about the wobble - the centre should look soft when the timer stops. It finishes cooking as it rests.

• Let it stand inside the microwave for 15–20 minutes. This is where the magic happens and the texture settles.

You still get that nostalgic, Christmas-day pudding feel - just without the big pot bubbling away all afternoon.

2. A Lemon Delicious that feels like something from childhood

There’s something very Australian about a warm, spoon-soft lemon pudding. This microwave version is built on familiar steps: beating Fairy with eggs and sugar, layering lemon curd on the base, and cooking it just long enough to form a sponge top with a silky sauce underneath.

A few helpful notes inspired by the method:

• Whip the batter well so the top cooks into a light, fluffy sponge.

• Use plenty of lemon curd - it melts into that classic sauce layer.

• Rest before serving to help the sponge settle and the sauce thicken slightly.

It’s the kind of dessert that reminds people of family dinners, summer holidays and simple home baking - and it’s ready in minutes.

Why microwaves are so handy at Christmas

Using the microwave is less about shortcuts and more about smart timing. They heat quickly, handle batters gently and keep moisture where it matters. Both featured recipes prove how well a microwave can stand in for the oven during the busiest time of year.

A few general tips drawn from the methods:

• Every microwave behaves differently, so it’s worth checking early the first time you make it.

• Standing time is essential - both puddings continue to cook off the heat.

• Lifting the dish with a microwave-safe rack or upturned plate helps with even cooking.

Helpful tools for microwave desserts

• A microwave with adjustable power settings

• Microwave-safe mixing bowls

• A low rack or upturned microwave-safe plate

• Silicone spatulas

• Microwave-safe 1L–2L pudding dishes