C H R I S T M A S

Strawberry and fennel seed trifle with almond-vanilla sponge

If your Christmas crew demands trifle because ‘it’s tradition’, wow them with this strawberries-and-cream version, which elevates sponge, berries and cream to a whole new level. Fresh, juicy, boozy fun – it’s a party in your mouth!

Prep 15 mins

Cook 5 mins

Serves 8

Tarte tropézienne

Travelling to France for Christmas is out, so bring a little of France to your festive table in the form of this beautiful brioche sweet, filled with creamy orange-blossom and vanilla custard.

Prep 20 mins (plus chilling, proving)

Cook 25 mins

Serves 8-10

Buttermilk panna cotta with mangoes and caramelised white chocolate crumble

The do-ahead features of this panna cotta with our favourite tropical fruit are one of its biggest selling points, but do you know what seals the deal? Caramelised white chocolate shortbread crumble. Enough said!

Prep 30 mins (plus chilling)

Cook 15 mins (plus cooling)

Serve 8-10

Cured ocean trout

The vibrant colour and prep-ahead features of home-cured ocean trout make for easy festive entertaining. Garnish it with something bright and beautiful to set the scene for Christmas lunch – redcurrants perhaps, or a jumble of edible flowers. This recipe is from Eatable's food and drinks director, Lisa Featherby.

Prep 10 mins

3 days curing

Serves 10

Rum savarin

A European classic, this rum savarin combines booze-soaked yeast cake, vanilla whipped cream and juicy blackberries. Keep things simple with a plain ring tin, or bake it in your fanciest Bundt pan for a showstopping finale.

Prep 15 mins (plus proving, cooling, soaking)

Cook 30 mins

Serves 6-8

Stir-fried crab with fried garlic, fish sauce and lime

Crab is a messy business – and that’s half the fun here. You’ll want finger bowls and napkins at hand.

Prep 20 mins

Cook 10 mins

Serves 4

A winter citrus pavlova

Exotic oranges lend fragrance and colour to this late-winter take on a traditional summer sweet.

Prep 40 mins

Cook 45 mins (plus cooling & chilling)

Serves 10

Lobster with pink grapefruit and fennel fronds

Lobster is essentially culinary perfection in a very hard shell, so the secret to highlighting its excellence is to intervene as little as possible. Four other ingredients are all you need for this summer-by-the-ocean recipe.

Prep 10 mins

Cook 10 mins

Serves 2-4

Salt-baked mud crab

A whole mud crab served in its shell – big, bold and red – is an absolute showstopper, and the salt-baking technique enhances the drama even further. If you want to start your Christmas meal with a bang, this is how to do it.

Prep 10 mins

Cook 40 mins

Serves 2-4 as a shared dish

Almond and cherry custard ice-cream

Planning your Christmas Day menu? Almond and cherry custard ice cream makes a festive finale. In Australia, fresh sour cherries ripen just in time for December entertaining, but frozen ones will work very well too.

Prep 15 mins (plus freezing)

Cook 15 mins

Makes 1 litre

Ruby Grapefruit Spritz

It’s refreshing, it’s bittersweet, and it’s the most gorgeous colour you’ve ever seen. Lucio’s Ruby Grapefruit Spritz is just the thing to set the scene for a long, lazy lunch or a languid summer evening. Salute!

Prep 10 mins

-

Serves 1

Dry-brined pork with green peppercorn sauce

We’re huge fans of brining meat, whether in a traditional wet brine or this super-simple dry version. For flavour and succulence, the technique is unsurpassed. Bonus: this recipe produces the best crackling you’ve ever tasted.

Prep 30 mins

Cook 2 hrs

Serves 4

Oysters with yuzu kosho vinaigrette

Some consider it madness to meddle with oysters au naturale – but they haven’t tried this yuzu mix, which amps the wow factor off the charts. Make it your go-to dressing this summer.

Prep 5 mins

-

Serves 6-8 as an appetiser