The holiday season has a unique and magical quality. It transforms our workplaces into a mosaic of cultures and traditions as we come together to celebrate. These dishes are not merely culinary creations; they’re windows into the unique backgrounds and stories of our traditional family recipes from the people we work alongside.
Imagine sitting at the office holiday lunch, where the table is adorned with various homemade dishes from different cultural backgrounds. Our traditional family recipes represent a culinary tradition and a narrative that reflects cherished moments, family gatherings, and generations of shared wisdom. As we take a bite of a dish passed down through the years, we are transported to the kitchens of our colleagues’ childhoods and can connect on a deeper level, understanding the values and customs that shape their lives.
These recipes bridge the gaps between colleagues, fostering empathy and appreciation for our differences. They encourage conversations beyond office tasks, forging connections based on shared stories and a sense of belonging. Through our traditional family recipes, we savour the flavours, histories, tales, and shared experiences that make our workplaces richer during the holiday season.
It was hard, but we’ve picked the top 4 to share below time-tested home recipes.
Bronwens' Ice Cream Pudding
If you're searching for a unique holiday dessert, look no further than the Christmas Ice Cream Pudding. This whimsical creation is a delightful twist on a classic Christmas pudding. The recipe combines rich, creamy ice cream with various festive ingredients like cherries, chocolate, and mixed nuts, resulting in a refreshing and visually stunning dessert. This frozen treat tastes divine and adds a delightful contrast to the usual warm and hearty holiday fare. With detailed instructions and tips on Wandercooks' website, you can easily create this show-stopping dessert to surprise and impress your guests this Christmas.
What you will need:
- 125 grams of finely chopped blanched almonds
- 125 grams of candied cherries
- 1/3 cup of chopped candied mix peel
- 1 cup of your choice of dried fruit
- 1/2 cup of your choice of spirit: rum, sherry, brandy (Non-alcoholic version: 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence + 1/4 cup of water)
- 3 teaspoons of mixed spices
- 1 1/2 litres of slightly softened vanilla ice cream (slightly softened)
For Decoration:
- Chocolate sauce or melted chocolate (ice magic)
- Crushed nuts
- Candied cherries
Directions:
- Combine finely chopped almonds, candied cherries, mixed peel (or chopped dried apricots), dried fruit (or sultanas), your preferred spirit, and mixed spice in a spacious mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly, cover, and let it soak and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Optionally, give it a gentle stir once or twice during this time to ensure all ingredients are well-coated with the spices and spirit.
- Line pudding basins or a large bowl with aluminium foil, smoothing any wrinkles.
- Next, mix the fruit mixture into the slightly softened vanilla ice cream.
- Spoon this mixture into the prepared pudding basin or bowl, cover it, and freeze it until firm, which should take about 6-8 hours. For optimal results, consider freezing it overnight.
- To Serve: Turn out onto a chilled serving plate. Decorate with your chosen toppings and serve immediately.
Tonis' Rum Balls
As the holiday season approaches, the anticipation of indulging in delicious treats intensifies. Christmas rum balls are a classic favourite among the many beloved holiday desserts. These bite-sized delights, often made with a mixture of crushed cookies, cocoa, nuts, and a generous splash of rum, offer a perfect blend of sweet and boozy flavours.
What you will need:
- 1 Packet of Arrowroot Biscuits (crushed to fine crumbs)
- 1 Cup of Desiccated Coconut
- 1 Cup Icing Sugar (sifted)
- ½ Cup of Coco (sifted)
- 1 Tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Rum to taste
For decoration (optional)
- Sprinkles
- Chocolate drizzle
- Slivered almonds and more!
Chocolate coating: Dip rum balls in melted chocolate, coat thoroughly, and set on lined tray.
Directions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine crushed cookies, cocoa powder, chopped nuts, powdered sugar, rum, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Scoop small portions of the mixture using a teaspoon and roll them into bite-sized balls. Place them on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Choose your preferred coating option
- If desired, add any toppings to the rum balls before the chocolate sets.
- Refrigerate for about an hour or until they firm up.
Serve and enjoy these delightful Christmas treats with a touch of holiday cheer!
Coconut Coating: Roll rum balls in coconut until fully coated, then set on lined tray.
Pauls' Bacon and Egg Pie
Bacon and egg pie, a timeless culinary classic, always impresses. This savoury treat combines the smoky, salty goodness of bacon with the richness of eggs, all nestled within a flaky pastry crust.
What you will need:
- 450g (Roughly 3 sheets) Flaky Puff Pastry
- 250g bacon of your preference (Diced, streaky, eye)
- 6 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of Spring onion
- 1 cup of frozen Peas and corn mix
- 1 Thinly sliced onion
- Beaten egg to glaze
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC and lightly grease a 20cm cake tin or pie dish.
- Line the prepared dish with your ready-rolled pastry.
- Cut bacon into pieces and evenly arrange half of them over the pastry.
- Crack eggs into the dish, prick yolks, and season with salt and pepper. Brush the pastry edges with water.
- Evenly sprinkle the rest of your bacon, onions, spring onion, peas and corn.
- Place the other pastry piece over the filling, sealing the edges.
- Cut excess pastry, create decorative shapes, and place them on top with water. Make slits on the surface and brush with beaten egg.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until golden. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
Carolyns' Fudge Balls
These bite-sized treats are a delightful blend of white chocolate fudge and soft chewy marshmallows hidden at their core. The smooth, sweet exterior gives way to a delightful surprise, making them the perfect indulgence for those with a sweet tooth. Irresistibly scrumptious!
What you will need:
- Half a stick of butter (125g)
- 36 Digestive Biscuits crushed (I use Mcvitie’s)
- Tin of condensed milk
- Large bag of marshmallows
- Desiccated Coconut
Hint: For adult-oriented fudge balls, add a small amount of your favourite liqueur for a boozy kick.
Alternative filling options:
- Caramel
- Fruit preserves
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Cookie dough
- Mint chocolate
- Nutella
- Dried or candied fruit
Directions:
- Combine butter and condensed milk in a double boiler on low heat.
- Once well combined, incorporate the crushed digestive biscuits to create a moldable fudge mixture.
- Once cool to touch, wrap this mixture around marshmallows and roll them in desiccated coconut
- Refrigerate for about an hour or until they firm up.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to make your own caramel from condensed milk:
- Peel off the label from the unopened can.
- Fill a medium-sized, deep saucepan with water, gently place in the can and bring to a boil.
- Ensuring the tin is fully submerged in water at all times. Be sure to add more water as needed.
- Let it simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours.
- Carefully remove the can from the boiling water. Allow it to cool completely before opening and store it in the fridge. It’s advisable to prepare your caramel the day before.
We trust you’ve relished these recipes just as much as we have. If you decide to prepare any of these dishes, please share your creations online using the hashtag #Rubbedinfamilyxmas.
Check out some of our other blogs for more great ideas:
- Dreaming of a Sustainable Christmas – alternative gift wrapping ideas
- Prepping Your Space for a Sizzling Summer
- Rubbedin’s Cultural Feast – our cultural favourite recipes
- Australian Christmas Recipes – Taste.com.au