An Aussie Christmas
December 23, 2008 | Cooking, Holidays
G’Day Everyone, it’s me, Maggie Nash waving to you from Australia!
People in the northern hemisphere often find it hard to relate to Christmas in the great south land. Summer isn’t something you northerners identify with carols, eggnog, roast turkey and tinsel. Well, I’m here to tell you we love our Christmas here in Aussieland…and we remember that the first Christmas was actually in a hot arid country so celebrating in the hot weather isn’t all that strange. Okay, so seeing poor Santa swelter in that heavy red suit and beard in the heat is a little weird I guess, but hey, we watch TV…we see how you guys do it! We don’t want to be left out….LOL…
To be honest the traditions here are changing. It has a lot to do with our climate, and a lot to do with our multicultural country. As a child I lived in a society where most people were of a European background. Hence we celebrated much like a family from England or from the USA…minus the snow of course. Now we are a more eclectic society. Our neighbours are from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong….plus we still have our Irish, English and European heritage. It’s quite a melting pot really.
So now we combine our traditions. We might have lobster and prawns, and then plum pudding. Some still have turkey and ham and all the trimmings. Some have a barbeque on the beach. Anything goes.
What doesn’t change is that it’s bl**dy hot! So I try to have something cooling but still Christmassy enough to be a special occasion.
Here is my recipe for Ice Cream Christmas Pudding. It’s absolutely delicious, if I say so myself.:)
Ingredients
1 litre tub of chocolate ice cream
500g mixed dried fruit
100 g glace cherries (optional)
100g choc bits
25 mls brandy or rum
500g good quality choc buttons (dark or milk)
250g white chocolate buttons
sprig of holly to decorate
Method
Leave the chocolate ice cream out to soften until it is able to be stirred.
In another bowl, combine the fruit and cherries. Leave aside
Line a pudding bowl with clear plastic wrap.
Melt the chocolate buttons ( in a double boiler, or microwave)
Add a small amount of the brandy or rum to the chocolate and stir. It now becomes hard, in a play dough sort of texture.
Put the chocolate mixture into the prepared pudding bowl and mould it around the sides until you have completely lined the bowl with the chocolate. Place it in the freezer for a few minutes.
Mix the fruit and the choc bits into the ice cream and pour it into the pudding bowl over the chocolate lining. Bring the cling wrap back over the top and wrap.
Place the bowl in the freezer and let it refreeze. Preferably overnight, but at least 4 hours.
To serve, pull the pudding out of the bowl with the plastic wrap. Up end it onto a serving plate. Melt the white chocolate and pour it over the frozen pudding and it will harden. It looks like custard.
Decorate with a sprig of holly…and voila!
Christmas pudding Aussie style.
And if you want to get a look at what some sexy Aussies get up to all over the country, then go out and buy yourself a copy of BOYS DOWN UNDER!
It’s available NOW from Aspen Mountain Press
www.aspenmountainpress.com
Here’s the blurb from my story in the anthology
The Executioner – By Maggie Nash
Blurb
A team building exercise at a remote location reignites the heat between former lovers Madeleine Smith and Nicholas Garabaldi. When team members start dying they must learn to trust again so they can outwit whoever is killing off the group one by one. Is this the “Executioner” from the indigenous Dream Time legend of the local Bilbulmun tribe? Or is someone closer to home responsible?
So to everyone, best wishes for the holiday season, however you celebrate it!
Lots of Love,
Maggie
www.maggienash.com
Hi Maggie,
Thanks for sharing the great recipe. I can feel my hips widening as I read it. But it’s definitely worth an extra slacks size. LOL. I’ll need all that freezing ice cream after reading BOYS DOWN UNDER. You right one hellova hot story!!!
A very MERRY CHRITSMAS to you and yours!
On December 23rd, 2008 at 8:35 amHi Maggie,
On December 23rd, 2008 at 8:56 amYour recipe sounds quick, easy and delicious, I’ll have to give it a try….and your book sounds great too…Love the cover….Tabs
Thanks for inviting me her Sloane 🙂 And you can use low fat icecream…that works for me! Of course we all know chocolate is a vegetable too. LOL
Thanks Tabitha. Yep, it’s really easy to make. It takes a while to set, but preparation is easy. You can add marshmallows and choc bits and chocolate cookies to make it into rocky road as well. Yum!
Hi Angie…I hope you enjoy it!
You’re welcome ann marie 🙂 I added a variation above…that’s yummy too!
Okay, off to bed now…it’s almost 1.30 am now….and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I have to get up in 4 hours to go to the fish market to get myself some fresh prawns (shrimps). Night all…will check back later. 🙂
On December 23rd, 2008 at 9:23 amI’m dying to try the pudding too, Maggie, as soon as I figure out how to convert grams to…what? 😉 You know me though, or Sloane does, at least, and I’ll find out how to do it. Anything to wow my family and guests and I bet this is one dish that could do it.
Hot Aussie guys, eh? Sounds like my book buying is increasing heavily this week. Happy Holidays, no matter how y’all do it!
Cheers, Beth
On December 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 amHi Maggie!
Boys Down Under looks delicious and so does the recipe!! Love the Santa Claus. 🙂
Hugs and Happy Holidays!
jan
On December 23rd, 2008 at 11:34 amLovely! I live in a hot tropical climate, so I can relate to an Aussie Christmas better than most. I must try that recipe. It sounds scrumptious.
Lena
On December 24th, 2008 at 2:33 pmHey Ash…you can come and have an Aussie Christmas with me anytime! We have a spare bed!
Hey Beth…try http://www.onlineconversions.com Works for me!
Hey Lena…thanks for dropping by! Yes, it’s definitely different having Christmas in the warmer weather. The kids are in the pool as we speak…and I’m not far off…it’s a beautiful sunny day here in Sydney for Boxing Day 🙂
Thanks everyone for dropping by, and thanks Sloane for inviting me 🙂
Merry Christmas everyone!
Maggie
On December 25th, 2008 at 9:14 pm