Christmas time is almost upon us! Here are some ideas for South African Christmas recipes for Christmas lunch or dinner, as well as some tasty treats to cook up before the big feast.

Christmas nibbles

1. Easy rum and raisin chocolate truffles

A quick, homely chocolate truffle recipe that’s so easy to make even your children can do it.
Get the full recipe here

2. Festive sweet and savoury nuts

Easy to make and delicious to snack on at any Christmasssy moment.
Get the full recipe here

Christmas main dishes

3. Gammon with a sticky orange and ginger glaze

Combine that wholesome smoky flavour of gammon with this delicious sweet, spicy citrus and ginger glaze.
Get the full recipe here

4. Butterflied leg of lamb on the braai

Skip the turkey altogether and put a leg of lamb on the braai. Why not?
Get the full recipe here

5. Turkey on the braai with cashew nut stuffing

Our ed’s favourite Christmas recipe.
Get the full recipe here

6. Crayfish and beef fillet

Add a bit of surf to your turf (roast) and mix things up a little by combining crayfish with your beef roast.
Get the full recipe here

7. Gammon with a pomegranate and pink peppercorn glaze

This elixir of pomegranate syrup, cherry juice and crunchy rosy-pink peppercorns is dead easy to make, and tastes sensational drizzled, warm and syrupy, over a gammon.
Get the full recipe here

8. Mango and macadamia nut turkey stuffing

A must-try, albeit rather unusual, Christmas stuffing.
Get the full recipe here

9. Bacon-wrapped apricot and macadamia nut stuffing balls for roast turkey

If you roll your eyes every year at the wodges of pallid, soggy stuffing that are scooped from the inside of  the Christmas turkey, here’s a recipe for you.
Get the full recipe here

10. Christmas gammon glazed with brandy and coke

Fancy incorporating a bit of Klippies en Coke into your Christmas feast?
Get the full recipe here

11. The perfect roast lamb

Not a fan of turkey or gammon? Try this delicious roast lamb, made with rosemary and garlic.
Get the full recipe here

12. Roast potatoes with biltong

To accompany your roast lamb, beef, turkey or glazed gammon make these uniquely South African roast potatoes with biltong.
Get the full recipe here

13. Shallot and brie tart tatin

This tart tatin is a delicious option for the vegetarians at the Christmas table.
Get the full recipe here

And for Boxing Day lunch, here are some ideas for using up leftover gammon and turkey.

Christmas desserts

14. Tower of ice cream with berries and meringue

Why have ice cream in a bowl? Draw gasps of delight and excitement witha splendid tower of ice cream!
Get the full recipe here

15. Ice cream Christmas pudding

Christmas in South Africa is too hot for traditional Christmas pudding. Try this perfect southern hemisphere summer ice cream Christmas pudding instead.
Get the full recipe here

16. Christmas mince pies

What’s Christmas without mince pies? This easy recipe will motivate you to make your own – so much better than the store-bought variety.
Get the full recipe here

17. Christmas cookies

These Christmas cookies are the perfect festive treat to bake for your work colleagues, hairdresser, your kids’ teachers, and Santa Clause.
Get the full recipe here

18. Christmas ice cream cake with white chocolate and berries

With mushed up mince pies, crushed Crunchies, lots of cream, brandy AND a white chocolate casing, this could well be the ultimate Christmas pudding!
Get the full recipe here

19. Boozy, fruity Christmas trifle cake

Easy to make and can be prepared a day (or even two) in advance. Need we say more?
Get the full recipe here

20. Amarula malva pudding

If you love pudding but aren’t into candied fruits, bake an easy malva pudding with a boozy touch – it’s sure to please the whole family.
Get the full recipe here

21. Phyllo crackers with spicy plum filling

A spicy Christmas sweet treat.
Get the full recipe here

22. Quick and easy chocolate and Amarula trifle

If you prefer chocolate to fruit and Amarula to sherry then you’ll love this boozy trifle.
Get the full recipe here

23. Poached prune tart with red wine glaze

Another non-traditional Christmas dessert, this poached prune tart with a red wine glaze is the pudding to make if you’re putting on a sophisticated Christmas meal.
Get the full recipe here

24. Rum egg nog

A delicious traditional Christmas tipple.
Get the full recipe here

Recipes by Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner, Michelle Parkin, Meg de Jong, Sarah Duff and Cameron Ewart-Smith.

Photos by Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner, Michelle Parkin, Meg de Jong.

Cover photo by Jane-Anne Hobbs Rayner.