5 Irresistible Christmas Dessert Ideas That Will Wow Your Taste Buds

INGREDIENTS

• 1 litre vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
• 2 punnets raspberries, plus extra to serve

Chocolate Crumbs

• 350g Shortbread Petticoat Tails
• ¾ cup (185ml) pouring cream
• 200g Dark Chocolate, finely chopped

Raspberry-Hibiscus Ice Cream

• 1 punnet raspberries
• 4 hibiscus flowers in syrup, drained and finely chopped, reserving 2 tbsp hibiscus syrup (available at selected supermarkets and liquor shops)

Chocolate Semifreddo

• 1.5 litres vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
• 50ml brandy
• 300ml pouring cream
• 200g David Jones Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
• 2 tbsp Organic Honey

Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream

• 1 punnet raspberries
• 2 tbsp Raspberry Jam
• 1.5 litres vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

Chocolate Sauce

• ⅔ cup (165g) caster sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 1 cup (250ml) pouring cream
• 150g Milk Chocolate, finely chopped
• 150g Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
• Chocolate curls, truffles and crushed freeze-dried raspberries, to serve (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the chocolate crumb, process shortbread and 1 tsp sea salt in a food processor to fine crumbs, then transfer to a bowl. Bring cream to the simmer in a saucepan, add chocolate and remove from the heat. Stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and combined. Add to biscuit crumb mixture and stir to combine.
2. Line the bases of two 22cm-diameter springform cake tins with baking paper. Divide chocolate crumb mixture evenly between prepared tins and press flat to cover base. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
3. To make the raspberry-hibiscus ice cream, crush raspberries in a small bowl with a fork. Add hibiscus flowers and syrup and stir to combine. Stir into softened ice cream to just combine – work quickly so the ice cream doesn’t melt too much. Spread over the chocolate crumb in one of the prepared tins, smooth top and freeze until almost firm. Arrange extra raspberries over the top and freeze until solid. 
4. To make the chocolate semifreddo, bring brandy and 100ml cream to the simmer in a saucepan. Add chocolate and remove from the heat. Stand for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth and combined. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in an electric mixer until light and pale. Combine sugar, honey and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes until syrupy (if you have a sugar thermometer, cook to 118°C). With mixer running on low speed, add sugar syrup to egg yolk mixture and whisk for 4-5 minutes until cooled to room temperature. Fold in chocolate mixture. Whisk remaining cream to soft peaks, fold in and spoon over the chocolate crumb in the remaining prepared tin. Smooth the top and freeze for 5-6 hours until firm.
5. To make the raspberry ripple ice cream, crush raspberries in a small bowl with a fork. Add jam and stir to combine. Stir into softened ice cream to form a ripple effect. Spread over chocolate semifreddo, smooth top and freeze until firm.
6. Spread remaining vanilla ice cream over raspberry ripple ice cream, smooth top and freeze until just firm.
7. Remove raspberry-hibiscus ice cream cake from tin, place on top of the other cake while the vanilla ice cream is still just firm (this will help it stick together), pressing slightly. Return to freezer and freeze until required.
8. To serve, remove ice cream cake from tin and place on a chilled plate. Top with toppings of your choice (we’ve used fresh raspberries, chocolate curls and truffles). Cut into pieces with a large, sharp knife dipped in hot water – if necessary, allow the cake to soften slightly before cutting.
9. For an extra-luxe touch, drizzle the cake with homemade chocolate sauce. To make, stir caster sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat to dissolve sugar. Cook for 4-5 minutes until caramelised, remove from the heat and carefully add ½ cup water (caramel will spit). Add 1 cup pouring cream, return to heat and bring back to the boil. Add 150g each of finely chopped David Jones Milk Chocolate and David Jones Dark Chocolate. Remove from heat, stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 435g packet Carême Vanilla Bean Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, defrosted
• 3 cups (750g) mascarpone
• 150ml milk
• ½ cup (110g) coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) spiced rum
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 mangoes, stoned, peeled, thinly sliced lengthways
• Passionfruit pulp, to serve

Rum Caramel

• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) spiced rum
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

METHOD

1. Line a 4cm deep, 23cm-diameter tart tin with the pastry, pressing into the side and base. Trim the edges and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill. 
2. Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced. Line pastry case with baking paper and pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15-20 mins or until lightly golden. Remove baking paper and pastry weights or rice. Bake for a further 10-12 mins or until golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, to make the rum caramel, place the sugar and ¼ cup (60ml) water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 10-12 mins or until it becomes a dark caramel. Remove from heat. Carefully add the rum, lime juice, vanilla and ¼ cup (60ml) water to the caramel (the mixture might spit). Return to heat. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a heatproof screw-top jar. Seal. Refrigerate until chilled. 
4. Whisk the mascarpone, milk, sugar, rum and vanilla together in a large bowl until soft peaks form (do not overmix). Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry case.
5. Transfer the tart to a serving platter. Arrange the mango slices in concentric circles over the mascarpone mixture to cover. Drizzle with rum caramel. Spoon over the passionfruit pulp. Cut into wedges to serve. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 6 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in a bowl of cold water for 5 mins
• 500g crème fraîche
• Cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries to serve
• David Jones White Chocolate & Raspberry Ice Cream, to serve
• Prosecco jelly
• 750ml bottle prosecco, such as David Jones King Valley Prosecco NV
• 1½ cups (330g) caster sugar
• 150g pitted cherries
• 150g strawberries, coarsely chopped
• 100g raspberries
• Juice of 1 orange 
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 15 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 mins
• 80g pitted cherries, extra
• 80g sliced strawberries, extra
• 80g raspberries, extra

METHOD

1. To make the prosecco jelly, combine the prosecco, sugar, cherries, chopped strawberry, raspberries, orange juice, lemon juice and 3 cups (750ml) water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook for 6-8 mins or until berries release their juice. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine. Stir gelatine into berry mixture to dissolve. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a 2L (8-cup) capacity fluted cake tin. Refrigerate for 2-2½ hours or until just beginning to set.
3. Gently sprinkle extra cherries, sliced strawberry and extra raspberries over the partially set jelly in the tin – they should sink into the jelly but not drop right to the bottom. Refrigerate for a further 2-3 hours until almost completely set.
4. Combine the milk, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. Stir to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine. Stir gelatine into milk mixture to dissolve. 
5. Whisk the crème fraîche in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk mixture until smooth and combined. Pour over the jelly mixture in the tin and refrigerate overnight to set.
6. To serve, dip the mould in hot water (do not let the water touch the jelly). Use your fingers to gently pull jelly away from the sides of the tin to loosen. Place a chilled serving plate on top of the mould, then carefully invert the plate and mould to turn out the jelly. Decorate with extra cherries and berries and serve with David Jones Ice Cream.
7. Whisk the mascarpone, milk, sugar, rum and vanilla together in a large bowl until soft peaks form (do not overmix). Spoon the mixture into the cooled pastry case.
8. Transfer the tart to a serving platter. Arrange the mango slices in concentric circles over the mascarpone mixture to cover. Drizzle with rum caramel. Spoon over the passionfruit pulp. Cut into wedges to serve. 

INGREDIENTS

• 500g raspberries
• ½ cup brown sugar
• Juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp Valdespino El Candado Pedro Ximénez, or to taste
• 500g crème fraîche
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Milk Chocolate, curled and crushed freeze-dried raspberries to serve

RASPBERRY MULLED WINE JELLY

• 750ml (1 bottle) Rosé
• 500g frozen raspberries
• 2 cups caster sugar
• Juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 cinnamon quills
• 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
• 8 titanium strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes

SPICED BURNT BUTTER CAKE

• 250g chilled butter, diced
• ½ cup each brown sugar and caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup plain flour
• ½ cup hazelnut meal
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp David Jones Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Cloves
• ¼ cup milk

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE CREAM

• 450ml thickened cream
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tbsp Muscat or raspberry liqueur
• 200g Milk Chocolate finely chopped
• 200g Dark Chocolate finely chopped

METHOD

1. To make the raspberry mulled wine jelly, combine ingredients, except gelatine, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 cup water, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring just to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until raspberries are pulpy. Set aside for 1 hour to infuse then strain through a fine strainer – don’t press on the solids or the jelly will be cloudy; discard the solids. Return 1 cup raspberry liquid to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to pan and stir to dissolve. Pour back into the remaining raspberry liquid, cool to room temperature then transfer to a large glass serving bowl or trifle dish and refrigerate overnight to set.
2. Meanwhile, to make the spiced burnt butter cake, cook butter in a medium saucepan over high heat for 5-6 minutes or until nut brown. Pour into a heatproof bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Preheat oven to 180°C and butter and line a 20cm x 30cm cake tin with baking paper. Beat burnt butter, sugars and vanilla in an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine and scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Add flour, hazelnut meal, baking powder, spices and ½ tsp sea salt, beat to just combine then beat in milk. Spread evenly in the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until centre springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in tin then store in an airtight container until required.
3. For whipped chocolate cream, bring cream, milk and liqueur just to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chocolate, remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth and combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to chill completely. Whisk in an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until thick and fluffy – the mixture will look thin to begin with but will thicken. Set aside.
4. Combine half the raspberries in a bowl with half the brown sugar, orange juice and Pedro Ximénez and macerate for at least 15 minutes. Whisk crème fraîche, cream, vanilla and remaining brown sugar in a separate bowl to soft peaks.
5. To assemble, tear cake into chunks and arrange over the jelly. Drizzle with a little of the liquid from the raspberries. Spoon over whipped chocolate cream, then crème fraîche mixture and refrigerate until required – the trifle will be even better if refrigerated overnight so the flavours mingle and develop. Refrigerate macerated raspberries until required.
6. To serve, spoon mulled raspberries over the trifle, scatter with chocolate and freeze-dried raspberries and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 500g natural Greek-style yoghurt
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 6 dried lemon myrtle leaves
• 2 tbsp Grown Spirits Garden Grown Gin
• 2 mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ small ripe pineapple, peeled and thinly sliced
• Passionfruit pulp, to serve
• Finger limes, to serve

Passionfruit curd

• 185ml passionfruit pulp (about 8 passionfruit)
• 4 egg yolks (reserve eggwhites for pavlova)
• 120g butter, diced
• ¼ cup caster sugar

Lemon myrtle pavlova

• 1¼ cups caster sugar
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 6 dried lemon myrtle leaves
• 6 eggwhites, at room temperature
• 1tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white vinegar

METHOD

1. To make the passionfruit curd, process pulp in a food processor to release pulp from seeds, then strain through a fine strainer to yield 185ml juice. Transfer to a saucepan, add egg yolks, butter and sugar and stir continuously over low-medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to an airtight container, refrigerate for up to 1 week. 
2. Tip yoghurt into a fine sieve lined with 2 layers of sturdy paper towel, place over a deep bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight to drain (discard liquid). Whisk in half the passionfruit curd until smooth and combined. Refrigerate until required.
3. To make the pavlova, preheat oven to 150°C. Trace a 22cm-diameter circle on a piece of baking paper and place pencil-side down on a lightly oiled baking tray. Process sugars and lemon myrtle in a food processor to a fine powder, then sift through a fine sieve. Whisk egg whites and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer and whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form. With the motor running, add 1 tbsp sugar mixture at a time, whisking until well incorporated. Whisk for another 6-8 minutes or until thick and glossy, then whisk in cornflour and vinegar. Spoon onto prepared tray into the centre of the round. Using a palette knife, spread the sides upwards to make a slightly higher edge and a lower centre to create a well for the topping. Place in the oven, reduce oven to 100°C and bake for 1½ hours until dry and crisp. Turn off oven and cool with the door ajar for at least 2 hours. Store in an airtight container. 
4. Stir sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes to a light caramel. Add 1 cup water and stir to combine, then add lemon myrtle leaves and simmer for 4-5 minutes to infuse. Remove from the heat, stir in gin to combine and refrigerate until required.
5. To serve, carefully place pavlova on a serving plate. Spoon over some of passionfruit yoghurt mixture and top with remaining passionfruit curd. Arrange mango and pineapple on top, spoon over a little passionfruit pulp and drizzle with gin syrup to taste. Squeeze over finger lime pearls and serve immediately.