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Christmas is a funny thing Down Under. No one quite knows how best to celebrate it. The traditionalists try to mimic their European forefathers and put their turkeys in the oven, heating up the house nicely on a traditionally sweltering hot day and sweating their way through Christmas dinner. Nice! (That’s Aussie sarcasm by the way). Others cook their roast meat the day before and eat it cold (I didn’t say enjoy it!) on Christmas day – seriously who likes cold roast meat? Not me anyway. Those who do it right either buy copious quantities of fresh king prawns or crank up a beachside BBQ accompanied by an esky full of ice cold beer! Doesn’t seem quite like Christmas though, does it?

But no matter what way you enjoy your Christmas dinner Down Under you will find this recipe as a pre or post dinner sweet. We call it White Christmas. It’s like a white chocolate version of rice crispy buns that are sliced into deliciously chilled squares with a mixture of chopped glaze cherries and dried apricots and desiccated coconut and rice bubbles mixed together. So this Christmas I’m gonna make this for all the crowd here at Neworld so they can get a taste of Christmas Australian style.

And the Neworld Australia Day Barbecue is just around the corner… mmmm, burgers and beer!!!

WHITE CHRISTMAS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 500g white chocolate melts
• 1 1/2 cups rice bubbles
• 100g red glace cherries, halved
• 100g dried apricots, roasted, halved
• 160g sultanas
• 1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step 1

Line a 30cm x 20cm (base) baking pan with baking paper. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). Fold in the remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down with a large metal spoon. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

Step 2

Turn slice onto a chopping board. Using a knife that has been dipped in hot water, cut into squares. Serve.

This is what Christmas Tastes like Down Under, make it and enjoy.