5 Tips For A Stress-Free Christmas Lunch (+ Christmas dessert recipe)

We all know that a stress-free Christmas lunch is all about the planning, and this year we wanted to take all the hassle out and help you get organised! Thanks to foodie lover and nutritionist Liv Kaplan, we’ve also included a sugar-free Berry Coconut Cheesecake recipe your taste buds (and your guests!) will be loving you for.

Whether you are hosting a Christmas lunch for four or 20, here are five tips to make things run as smooth as possible.

Tip 1: Start your planning early

While Santa is writing his list and checking it twice, you should be doing the same! Start your planning early and make lists for everything – who your guests will be, the food you need to prepare and what gifts to buy. If you’re stuck on some gift ideas, be sure to check out our Ultimate Cooking and Organising Gift Guide.

Tip 2: Get your ingredients organised

Get in there early and avoid crazy lines by stocking up on your Christmas lunch ingredients. This will give you more time to organise everything else and catch up on any last-minute jobs without the stress of a big food shop! For a seamless process when it comes to cooking up your feast, we recommend keeping an organised fridge and pantry with the help of our Basics Range or Pantry Range. This will enable you to see all of your ingredients at a glance easily, whilst keeping your food fresh – no stressful digging through shelves!

Tip 3: Create the right atmosphere

Have fun putting up lights, hanging wreaths and wrapping everything you see in colourful tinsel! Again, planning is key, so be sure to organise how many seats you need for your guests and that you’ve got enough table space. Then, let loose and go all out with your table decorations.

You could also put together a Christmas playlist (or search one online), so on the day, everyone’s ready to get their jingle on.

Tip 4: Cook up a storm the day before

Prepare as much food as you can in advance. In fact, put a menu together that allows you to cook a bunch of it a day before. This will take a lot of pressure off you, and you’ll have more time decorating and enjoying the company of your guests. To help you measure, mix and whisk your way through your delicious Christmas lunch creations be sure to check out our Gadgets Range and Equip Range.

Tip 5: Impress with your dessert

The Christmas table always needs a centrepiece, and a delicious show-stopping dessert like the sugar-free Berry Coconut Cheesecake by Liv Kaplan is perfect for that star role. Swirled with an easy berry jam, this cheesecake will have your guests rushing through their lunch just to get to this amazing dessert. Plus, you can easily prepare this one a day or two in advance. 

 

Liv’s Berry Coconut Cheesecake Recipe

Serves: 20

Prep time: 60 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Base

200g blanched almond meal

6 tbsp (90g) butter, melted

1/4 tsp salt

Filling

625g cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups Greek yoghurt

1 vanilla bean

1/2 lemon, juiced

2/3 cup powdered erythritol or powdered Lakanto

2 eggs, at room temperature

¼ cup shredded coconut to serve

Raspberry Jam

3 cups frozen mixed berries

Instructions

1. To make the berry jam, place the berries and 30ml of water in a medium-sized pot and place over high heat. Place the lid on the pot and bring to the boil.
2. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the jam to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until water has reduced and berries have broken down.
3. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Store in a jar.
4. To make the cheesecake, preheat the oven to 180ºC and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
5. Prepare the base by combining ingredients in a bowl. Press into the lined tin, allowing some of the mixture to come up the sides a little. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
6. Fill a baking dish with water and place on the bottom shelf of the oven.
7. Beat all the filling ingredients together until just combined. You don’t want to over mix. Spread the filling on the prepared base.
8. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes then turn off the oven and leave it there for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on the counter for 30-60 minutes before placing in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
9. Serve with a generous spread of the prepared berry jam and a sprinkle of coconut.