Christmas Special: Christmas FEAST

In true rock and roll style, Emma Dean has your Christmas lunch and dinner sorted with a scrumptious Chocolate Christmas Tree and Mitch Orr’s much-loved Prawn Cocktail. Plus, you’ll learn how to create a “Feastable” grazing table overflowing with decadent cakes, yummy cheeses, crackers and chocolates.

Create a “Feastable” Grazing Table

Nothing makes Christmas feel more special than an eye-catching table that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. As a passionate cook and artist, I believe the table setting is just as important as the dishes themselves. This year, I’m going all out with a dessert-based grazing table overflowing with decadent cakes, yummy cheese, crackers and chocolates. If you’re looking to wow your guests, here are my top tips to turn your grazing table into a “feastable” table that both looks and tastes incredible.

1. Think about levels
Let’s start with levels! A “feastable” table should be a feast for the eyes and a bit of a treasure hunt. Create different heights using cake stands, boards or stacked plates to add layers of interest. Let your guests discover little pockets of deliciousness as they explore your spread — it’s like an Easter egg hunt, but with Christmas treats!

2. Choose a colour palette
Once you’ve nailed down your style, stick to a colour palette that brings harmony to your table. This year, I’m going for neutrals with a splash of festive red. Keeping your palette to three or four colours (including neutrals) ensures your table is elegant and not too busy.

3. Consider food presentation
Presentation is everything, especially when it comes to desserts. My centrepiece this year is the Trentham Tucker Premium Dark Chocolate Siena Panforte Cake — a rich, luxurious delight packed with nuts, dried fruits and fresh fruit, all enveloped in a decadent darkchocolate base. To make it easier for my guests, I’ve pre-cut the slices with a sharp knife, heated between each cut in a bowl of boiling water. This creates beautiful, crisp edges — the perfect dessert to enjoy during the festivities.

4. Don’t forget the fillers
No “feastable” table is complete without a few flexible fillers. I love adding a mix of nuts, Lindt LINDOR chocolates and pretzels — whatever floats your Christmas stocking! These little nibbles help tie all the elements together, adding texture and extra layers of interest.

5. A feast for the senses
We eat with our eyes first, so make your table a visual delight. This year, I’m inspired by Trentham Tucker’s stunning use of Australian natives in its designs and flavours. I’ll be weaving red native flowers and eucalyptus throughout the table and offsetting them with red Lindt LINDOR trees for a festive touch that’s sure to charm my guests.

LINDOR Chocolate Christmas Tree

Get into the festive spirit with this simple, edible and utterly delicious centrepiece. With so many different LINDOR truffle flavours, the possibilities are as endless as your Christmas cheer! This is also a brilliant Christmas craft to enjoy with the kids — just be sure to have a few extra truffles on hand for those inevitable sneaky bites!

Makes: A 25cm tree uses about 48 truffles 48 LINDOR truffles 25cm foam cone (available from Spotlight)

• Wrapping paper or fabric (preferably matching the colour of your LINDOR truffles)
• Flathead pins Round toothpicks
• Scissors
• Tree topper

Method:

1. Wrap the foam cone completely with your chosen wrapping paper or fabric. Secure it with flathead pins where needed.
2. Starting at the base, insert a toothpick into the cone at a 45° angle. Place a LINDOR truffle on the toothpick, ensuring the logo is upright for a polished look. Repeat until the entire base is covered.
3. For the next row, stagger the toothpick placement so the LINDOR tails nestle between the truffles in the row below. Continue until the entire cone is adorned with truffles.
4. To finish, insert a toothpick vertically into the top of the cone and crown it with a LINDOR truffle. Feel free to experiment with different toppers to add a bit of extra Christmas magic to your delicious centrepiece!

Twist On a Prawn Cocktail

Recipe / Mitch Orr, Prince Dining Room

High-profile chef Mitch Orr from Sydney’s acclaimed hatted restaurant Kiln takes the helm at the iconic Prince Dining Room in St Kilda. Once a fine-dining hotspot under the leadership of Andrew McConnell and Michael Lambie at Circa, the venue is looking to recapture its former glory. “Mitch brings an edgy, gritty style with a touch of finesse, which is a perfect fit for St Kilda,” says Andrew Ryan, the venue’s executive director. A new era has begun at Prince Dining Room and for us here, with Mitch sharing his much-loved Prawn Cocktail with a twist.

Serves: 2

Cocktail Sauce

• 100g smoked mayo or kewpie
• 30g ketchup
• 10g Worcestershire sauce
• 10g gochujang
• Lemon juice
• Cracked pepper
• 8 raw king prawns
• 2 baby cos lettuce, leaves washed and dried
• 1 cucumber, cut into batons
• 1 lemon
• 1 bunch shiso, leaves washed & dried
• 1 packet seasoned nori

1. Mix all the cocktail sauce ingredients together.
2. Grill the prawns over a charcoal barbecue (you can grill on a gas barbecue or use precooked prawns if easier), approx. 2 mins on each side.
3. Place the cocktail sauce into a ramekin or small bowl.
4. Arrange all the other ingredients on a plate or platter and serve.