Gourmet spins on the classic White Christmas recipe

White Christmas is an easy treat, simply mix, set and serve. There’s a reason why this iconic Australian dessert has a place on Yuletide tables around the country, when there’s so much else to prepare, this is a no-brainer.

 

The delicious dessert is usually made from dried fruit such as sultanas, glacé cherries, desiccated coconut, icing sugar, milk powder, Rice Bubbles and melted Copha and served as a slice. In these gourmet recipes, you can play with the shapes, textures and flavours for a delicious experience. For example, the White Christmas Forest has added dried mango for a tropical touch, and the White Christmas Wreath has brandy-soaked fruits for a more decadent flavour.

 

The great thing about White Christmas is that you can keep it traditional by sticking to the classic ingredients or mix it up by adding your favourite dried fruits, lollies, chocolate and nuts.

 

The mixed spice and dried fruit soaked in brandy add a festive Christmas pudding flavour to this White Christmas recipe. Mix your ingredients and divide the mixture into mini muffin pans. Once set, pop them out.

 

You can make these bites up to 4 days in advance. When ready to serve, arrange the White Christmas bites into a wreath shape. Use it as a table centrepiece and decorate with whipped cream, cherries, chocolates and any fruit in season. Your guests can help themselves to these bite-sized, crunchy mouthfuls packed with festive flavours.

 

This is another example of White Christmas’s versatility, it’s just about playing with the shape and the ingredients. For this Surprise cake, swap the dried sultanas and glacé cherries for dried cranberries and mini marshmallows. Add pistachios for colour and texture. Freeze dried strawberries are the secret ingredient, they have an intense sweet and sour flavour, bright colour and crunchy texture.

 

Grease a cake tin - this recipe calls for a bundt tin but a ring tin would work just as well - and gently press the mixture down to compact it. Refrigerate until set. This will take at least 4 hours. Once you are ready to serve, tip onto a serving platter. Wipe the base of the tin with a warm, wet cloth and it should come out easily. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top. For a thick drizzle, allow melted chocolate to cool and thicken before pouring over cake. Fill the centre with chocolates or lollies so that they spill out when you slice the cake.

 

This recipe can be made in advance. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

 

White Christmas works perfectly for shaping into Christmas trees to create an edible forest. This version is full of the tropical flavour of dried mango, which pairs perfectly with the coconut.

 

Use store bought waffle ice cream cones to shape the trees. Line cones with baking paper and press mixture gently into the cones at various heights. For the tallest trees, use 1 cup of mixture, for medium trees use ½ cup and small trees only need ⅓ cup. The easiest way to make these is to spoon mixture into the cones and use the end of a chopstick to compact the mixture. Take your time with this process and you will be rewarded with nicely shaped trees. Place the trees into mugs or tall glasses and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours. The longer the chilling time, the easier they will be to unmould.

 

When ready to serve, choose a flat platter, dust with icing sugar and arrange Christmas trees on top. Garnish with seasonal fruits such as berries and cherries. Add meringue kisses, candy canes and other Christmas lollies. Place in the centre of the table and let it work its Christmas magic on the crowd! If you have a gingerbread house, surround it with a White Christmas Forest to make your Christmas table really come to life.

 

This is the classic recipe with dried fruits, powdered milk and Copha. Add a twist to it with the recipes above, or make it more gourmet by using the best quality dried fruits and nuts you can find.

 

About 2-4 hours, depending on the thickness of your slice. Check to see if it has set by pushing gently into the mixture, if it gives slightly it needs to set a little longer. To serve, cut it with a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and dried.

 

Classic White Christmas will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. The gourmet White Christmas recipes above may not last as long, follow the recommended times in their recipes.

 

Yes. Simply wrap it in baking paper then place in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Follow this Classic White Christmas recipe. This mixture is ideal for creating different shapes and creations. Use a cookie-cutter to cut Christmas-themed shapes or simply cut into squares and serve.