There are no mince pies or pavlovas on this list. But there is an unparalleled tiramisu.
Is it even Christmas if you’re not snacking on stollen, packing the pantry with mince pies and perusing your local grocers for the best pavlova?
Yes, we truly do enter the festive season via our tastebuds, but sometimes the traditional picks can make Christmas Day feel like Groundhog Day.
If you’d prefer to take a slightly unconventional route when it comes to indulging this Christmas, these treats will add some wow factor.
From DIY delicacies to classics with a twist, here are the Viva team’s top picks for gourmet festive feasting.
Daily Bread & Whittaker’s Chocolate Christmas Cake
A Christmas cake with a twist, the Whittaker’s x Daily Bread Christmas Cake is a slice of heaven.
The classic fruit cake is often spurned by kids and sweet tooths alike, however, this decadent rethink of the traditional must-have will go down a treat for all ages.
Available at Daily Bread stores, you can buy by the slice or nab a whole one for the family to enjoy.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Amano’s Tiramisu Trifle
Nothing quite rings in the silly season like an expertly stacked trifle — and this one is a layer above the rest.
Amano’s tiramisu trifle features layers of coffee-soaked chocolate sponge, mascarpone mousse, coffee mousse and cocoa nib chocolate shards and is topped with whipped mascarpone and Dutch cocoa to finish.
While Christmas and coffee may not be the traditional pairing, it is one we’re more than happy to get behind as the holidays approach thanks to this Christmas spectacle, where the stemmed glass bowl is included.
Trifles can be pre-ordered for pick-up from the Amano bakery in Britomart — 48 hours’ notice is required.
Bread & Butter’s Charity Cookies
Bring a bit of German flair to the dinner table with these fruity-flavoured charity cookies.
Bread & Butter has partnered with Chantal Organics — who produce organic, natural wholefoods you can find in grocery and health stores around the country — to bring you coconut and orange shortbread dipped in white chocolate; a German staple during the festive season.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.What’s more, $5 of each cookie packet sold goes to the Auckland or Wellington City Mission, so your Christmas treats are helping support families in need this summer.
Available at Bread & Butter’s Grey Lynn Cafe or their online store, at all Farro Fresh stores, and at Ecostore in Freeman’s Bay.
Copain / La Petite Fourchette Galette Des Rois
The Galette des Rois — also known as the ‘kings cake’ — is traditionally sold on January 6 to mark Epiphany, a Christian public holiday in many European countries.
It’s a flaky puff pastry pie filled with frangipane and includes a ‘feve’, or token, inside and is accompanied by a crown.
According to tradition, you cut the galette into the number of slices of people at the table and the youngest person goes under the table and decides who gets which slice. The person who takes the slice with the feve gets to be king or queen for the day.
While the treat is usually enjoyed in January, Copain in Ponsonby, and its sister Le Petit Fourchette stores in Wynyard Quarter and Britomart, are making these delicious galettes available throughout the festive period.
Honest Chocolat’s Christmas Figurines
Is it even Yuletide if you haven’t found yourself nibbling on a chocolate shaped like a Christmas tree? Ditch the supermarket finds for locally made this year, opting instead for the Snells Beach-born, Matakana-made Honest Chocolat range.
These Christmas treats are a great way to show some love to New Zealand brands and they make for great gifting, eating and sharing this season.
Bluebells Cakery Rudolph Macarons
Our favourite reindeer is doubling as our favourite festive bite this season thanks to Bluebell Cakery’s French take on Christmas feasting.
These merry macarons are not only delicious by taste but festive by nature, making a great gift, or cute table decoration — and the kids will love them!
The Pantry’s DIY Gingerbread House
Everybody knows that Kiwis love a bit of DIY, so what better way to get the whole family in the festive spirit than with some building that you can enjoy together afterwards?
These DIY gingerbread houses are available at The Pantry, the cafe and deli on the ground floor of Auckland’s Park Hyatt hotel.
Not only a fun activity for the family, but also a delicious Christmas-themed decoration for the kitchen table.
More Great Christmas Fare
Five-course meals, edible gifts and chef tips.
Viva’s Ultimate Five-Course Christmas Menu. Want to make Christmas dinner the highlight of your holiday? Turn to this festive feast.
Viva’s Best Christmas Recipes: 56 Dishes That’ll Bring The Holiday Cheer. Centrepiece-worthy roasts, commendable sides and the desserts on our wish list.
18 Edible Holiday Gifts, From Homemade Pickles To Festive Cookies. Skip the crowds and make these delicious homemade gifts instead.
Have Yourself A Tasty, Smooth-Sailing Little Christmas, Thanks To These Chef-Approved Tips. From prep to leftovers, leading chefs and food lovers divulge their secrets.
