For many Australians, the magic of Christmas lives on in the cherished flavours of the festive season. While the main event is a feast, it's often the personal food traditions and creative use of leftovers that hold the fondest memories.
From Simple Sandwich to Gourmet Delight
For Nat, the ultimate post-Christmas joy is a simple ham sandwich. However, editor of Dish Magazine and renowned New Zealand food blogger, Sarah Tuck, has helped transform this humble favourite into something spectacular.
The solution is a Traybake Croque Monsieur (or Madame), a classic French dish perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe elevates leftover festive ham off the bone into a bubbling, golden masterpiece.
The method involves creating a rich béchamel sauce with parmesan, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. This is layered between buttered sourdough slices with thick cuts of Christmas ham, more mustard, Swiss cheese, and gruyère. Baked until golden, it serves four. For the Croque Madame variation, simply top each portion with a fried egg.
A Sweet Nostalgic Treat, Reimagined
For Shirvo, Christmas memories are sweetened by the chocolate-covered almonds that awaited him at his Nan's house. Sarah Tuck has captured this nostalgic flavour combination in a sophisticated, gluten-free Chocolate and Almond Torte.
This decadent cake combines 250 grams of dark cooking chocolate and 200 grams of butter with ground almonds, almond extract, and a touch of amaretto. The result is a rich, moist torte designed to serve ten people.
It's topped with a luxurious mascarpone and cocoa cream and finished with a scattering of chocolate-covered almonds and hazelnuts, directly honouring those cherished childhood treats.
The Showstopper: Mixed Berry and White Chocolate Trifle
Beyond the personalised favourites, Sarah Tuck also presents a crowd-pleasing Mixed Berry and White Chocolate Trifle. This recipe features layers of Cointreau-spiked berries, trifle sponges, and a "revelation" of a white chocolate cream.
The cream is made by melting 250 grams of white chocolate into a portion of the cream, then folding it through whipped cream with vanilla and icing sugar. After assembling and chilling for at least five hours, the trifle is topped with more cream, crumbled meringues, pistachios, and edible flowers, creating a stunning centrepiece that serves ten.
These recipes demonstrate that with a little culinary creativity, the beloved flavours of an Australian Christmas can be enjoyed in exciting new ways long after the day itself has passed.
