Share the love at Christmas with beautiful hand-made baked goodies as gifts.
The age-old question, ‘who created the pavlova recipe?’ is one that causes tension between Australians and New Zealanders. The classic pavlova recipe, complete with its crispy meringue, made from egg whites, and whipped cream topping, is beloved by both nations.Where did the pavlova recipe originate?National pride aside though, both Aussies and Kiwis can agree that this meringue-based dessert is an iconic showstopper at every event. We can all agree that the pavlova recipe was named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who visited both countries in the 1920s. The story in New Zealand says that the chef behind the pavlova recipe claimed inspiration from her tutu - and we can see why - that egg whites and sugar meringue topped with whipped cream is as fluffy as a tutu.How do you make the best pavlova possible?Pavlova is notorious for frightening even the most well-seasoned bakers (what with the separating egg yolks from egg whites, hoping to see stiff peaks form and nailing the meringue mixture!), but with our best pavlova recipe you can expect a crisp meringue shell and soft, fluffy marshmallow centre every time.However, if you do come into strife, our food editors have answered every pavlova question you could imagine below in our recipe notes.Top with whipped cream with its beautiful soft peaks, fresh fruit (fresh berries work well) piled high, and icing sugar (or confectioner's sugar, for those in the US wanting to have a crack at antipodean dessert cuisine) form the perfect show-stopping masterpiece on a cake stand. You could also add a drizzle of lemon curd, if you fancy it. Serve this classic pavlova recipe with whipped cream cold, or at room temperature (if it's not too hot a day - you don't want that whipped cream to topple),We're all for getting creative with our pavlova recipes, be it a rocky road pavlova, pavlova trifle, or an espresso martini pavlova. We even have an air fryer pavlova recipe. And, check out our collection of pavlova recipes to impress.Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester
A gift tag, some ribbon and a jarful of festive ingredients makes a clever food gift idea for Christmas.
School's out and you need to amuse the kids? Get them in the kitchen and help them make these super-easy Chrissy treats. Yule love 'em!
School's out for the year, so get busy with the kids in the kitchen and make these tasty Christmas treats to give as gifts... or to eat for yourselves!
Dazzle taste buds with this stunningly easy and delicious white chocolate rock road. It makes a brilliant Christmas food gift if you can bear to part with it.
Irresistible bits of fun beckon with this salted caramel fudge.
Wow guests with this stunning pork belly dish infused with star anise and drizzled with a moreish caramel sauce.
This is the most popular rocky road recipe on taste.com.au. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it's so easy to prepare and makes for a wonderful food gift for Christmas or Easter (or a sweet treat any other time of year!) Like all classic rocky road recipes, this one is made with chocolate and marshmallows, but also contains macadamias, raisins and buttery shortbread chunks. Top tip: slice this one while still in the pan rather than removing then chopping.
Potato salads are always popular at Christmas time — and this is the highest rated one on Taste.com.au!
A splash of Bailey's liqueur adds another dimension to this creamy chocolate fudge.
When it comes to picking the perfect ham for Christmas (and one that will please everyone), we’ve found the easiest recipes are often the best. It can be tempting to go for one with lots of fancy ingredients, but trust us, you don’t need to.We’ve tested this glazed ham recipe out on hundreds (if not thousands) of guests over the years and it’s hands down the best one we’ve tried. The combination of the two sources of natural sugar in the maple syrup and the honey gives the baked ham a beautifully golden, glossy top, and the tangy mustard really offsets the sweetness so it’s caramelised without being too sweet.For perfect results and tips on how to score, prep and store your glazed ham, make sure you check out our notes section below.
These classic rum balls will satisfy your Christmas sweet tooth!
This ice-cream Christmas treat guarantees a sweet ending to your festive feast.
Looking for a cool Christmas dessert? Try out this stunning white chocolate and berry cheesecake.
Get the jump on your Christmas baking by making this classic fruit cake now. Wrap it well and it will be perfect to serve, or give as a gift, on Christmas Day!
Rum balls make wonderful food gifts. They are super easy to make and this rum ball recipe is particularly great as it uses all that Christmas fruit cake.
If, like me, you think shortbread should be sweet butter with only enough flour to just hold it together, then this is the recipe for you. The secret to the success of our traditional shortbread recipe is the addition of rice flour. While some shortbread recipes use only plain flour, by adding rice flour you get a crisper, almost sandy - in a good way – biscuit. While shortbread can be cut into squares, rectangles or rounds, our traditional shortbread recipe is shaped as petticoat tails, a name attributed by Mary Queen of Scots, who thought the pretty curved triangles resembled petticoats. When shortbread was first devised butter was expensive, so it was a treat designated for special occasions. With fresh butter now readily available and this recipe in hand, you can have this glorious buttery sweet on tap all year around.
This festive slice, from Taste.com.au member laylablueshell, is a delicious delight for kids as well as grown-ups!
Give your family and friends something special this Christmas, like these beautiful festive pudding truffles.
These small truffle-like treats are made from only 5 ingredients and make a great edible gift.
You're going to need a large pot and a sturdy appetite for this dish, because we think this might be our best potato salad recipe ever.Pass the potato salad! I love a flavourful, creamy potato salad recipe. And, based on your salad recipe searches on taste.com.au, we know our community of cooks love to make a potato salad recipe too. With that in mind, I have a feeling you're going to want to recreate this one on repeat.What makes this potato salad so good?Who doesn't love a good old-fashioned creamy potato salad recipe arriving on the table at a barbecue? I think a boiled-egg-topped potato salad recipe is the ultimate Aussie side dish: it's easy, creamy and always a crowd-pleaser. The secret to the success of this potato salad recipe (and our winning potato salad dressing) is the cheeky addition of fried bacon and crispy onions - it really takes both the flavour and texture of this potato salad recipe to the next level. Plus, the addition of gherkins brings extra tang.Whether you're making potato salad for a midweek dinner, or making an impressive potato salad for a Christmas lunch, we have a potato salad recipe for every affair.Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester
These gingerbread biscuits, or lebkuchen, are typical Christmas treats in Germany.Remember the story of Hansel and Gretel, the wicked witch and that tempting sweet-and-spicy gingerbread house? The German authors of that fairy tale, brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, started the fashion for gingerbread shapes decorated with icing in the early 1800s.
This super easy berry ice cream cake is one treat you can feel good about!
Sweet caramelized ham is a festive and traditional way to celebrate during the Christmas season.
Create an impressive cake without ever turning on the oven. Taste members adore this choc ripple refrigerator cake and for good reason.
Whether you're having a weekend barbie, or planning a more casual Christmas, this salmon recipe could not be simpler.
Traditional truffles are given a festive flavour in this delicious eggnog version.
Whip up an easy dessert with our Little gingerbread cakes.
An Aussie favourite, pavlova is prized for its crisp meringue and soft, marshmallowy centre.
