Heston Blumenthal wishing you a very merry Christmas Source: Supplied

Fortunately, the fly-in, fly-out UK chef has spent much time in Oz of late.

Co-ordinating the importation of his Fat Duck restaurant from Bray to Melbourne’s Crown Casino in early 2015, plus his role injecting his culinary wizardry to a range of Christmas and other products at Coles means Heston has the favourites of the Australian festive table in his sights. Today he shares with Taste his tips for making them even better.

Donna Hay, another kitchen megastar, has had her feet firmly planted in southern hemisphere for every Christmas since childhood. She — along with a handful of other Australian food gurus — also has tricks for you on the day. Merry cooking.

1. Awesome roast potatoes

Heston says the key to the perfect roast potato is to cut each potato so it has many sharp edges and then to cook them in lots of oil, as it’s the combination of fat and cracks in the surface that makes for a perfectly crisp potato. Boil the potatoes first; Heston suggests adding garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs into the water for extra flavouring. When very soft, drain and cool, then add to a pan with oil (olive oil, or lard) that’s been preheated in the oven and cook, turning every 20 minutes or so, for at least 75mins or until golden brown.

2. Upside down glazed ham

Endless, repeated brushing of the ham to achieve a lacquered finish is a challenge when you’re juggling the rest of the menu. Donna’s tip: “You just bake it fat side down and then flip it once for a perfect glaze; no endless brushing. Love it!”

3. A cure for salmon

Ian Curley from The European says curing a salmon is an easy — and impressive — change from smoked salmon and has the added bonus of not taking up valuable oven space.

Make a mix (three to one) of salt and sugar, add some herbs — dill is a classic, but coriander root also works — and pack on the fish and leave overnight. “It cures the fish wonderfully, retaining its rich colour,” Ian says. Wash off the salt mix and serve it with a mango salsa. Ian says this is a very Aussie Christmas dish: “Loud and colourful — like your favourite uncle after a few shandies!”

Fresh cherry relish Source: Supplied

4. Give a stuff about stuffing

When Donna gave up on a whole turkey and moved on to a more manageable breast, she needed a solution for minimal amounts of stuffing it reaped. The result: stuffing muffins. “The ingredients are the same but instead of being stuffed into the big bird, they’re made in muffin tins. So much simpler for serving, too.”

5.Talking turkey

Time and space are the keys to getting the best out of your turkey, says Tony Hart, executive chef at the Intercontinental Adelaide.

If the bird is frozen, it will take 48 hours for a large turkey to defrost completely in the fridge (the only safe way).

Now add 12 more hours to your timetable for this great tip. Place the whole bird in a brine solution (1 cup of salt dissolved in 7 litres of water). “Brining is a fabulous way to drive flavour into the meat and to add moisture to keep the meat succulent,” Tony says.

6. Get cracking on crackling

The best cut of pork for roasting and crackling is the belly, with skin on and a good amount of fat, says Andrew Davies of Adelaide’s Press restaurant. Score it evenly all over, dry and rub plenty of salt into the slashes. Start it on a high heat like 260C for 45mins, rotating three times to get it evenly browned, then turn the oven down to 160C for two hours (for a 5kg belly).

7.Gravy with a coconut twist

Florent Gerardin, head chef of Pei Modern in Melbourne, will make a gravy to go with his roast chicken that is equal parts on trend and delicious. “Use some unsweetened coconut water to deglaze the roasting pan. This will give it a lift, and adds a lovely nuttiness.”

8.Prawns

Nothing beats a good tartar sauce made using quality ingredients, says Adelaide beachside fish and chipper Dino Papadopoulos from Henley Beach’s Stunned Mullet. Use premium thick and creamy mayonnaise, and include chopped baby capers, finely diced sweet gherkins and chopped flat leaf parsley or fresh dill. Dino suggests serving an extra lemon wedge to add a final “pop” of freshness, and a few drops of tabasco.

9.Rocking oysters

Ask your fishmonger, but Sydney rock are the pick at this time of year,” Ian Curley says. If you can get your hands on them, finger limes are a great native addition, providing “lime caviar” to serve with the oysters. Or to really get the party started, serve the oysters with a little shot glass of icy granita — maybe vodka and lime, or try a bloody mary mix.

Iceberg salad with crispy maple-glazed prosciutto Source: Supplied

10.Best-dressed potato salad

Heston’s Christmas potato salad features a simple mustard vinaigrette. His only tip is to dress the spuds when they’re still warm to allow them to absorb the flavour rather than it just coating the top.

11.Tips for the iceberg

Donna believes a classic iceberg salad provides balance to the Christmas table. “I cut it into wedges and plunge it into a bowl of ice water. It magnifies its signature crispness and provides the perfect contrast for the other rich offerings.”

12.Very merry cherries

Big, glossy bauble-like cherries are so abundant at this time of year it’s a shame not to use them in every possible dish. A simple relish made with balsamic vinegar and mint is the perfect condiment for the rich meats.

13.Pop goes the rum ball

Candy king Darren Purchese recommends rolling truffles or rumballs in popping candy. “These explosive little mouthfuls are sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike,” says one of the masterminds behind Burch and Purchese.

14.Get ahead with gingerbread

Gingerbread tops the list of recipes searched for on taste.com.au in December. Heston’s tip: “When baking, the key ingredients play as much of a textural role as flavour one. Sugar in a biscuit mix is not just for sweetness but has an important role on texture. If you want a glasslike crunch, increase sugar level.”

15.A trifle fruity

In his professional kitchen Heston has all sorts of gadgetry, but for the home cook the secret ingredients are not so wild. Fructose — in the sugar section of the supermarket — is oft used by the chef to ramp up the sweetness of fresh fruit. If you’re making a trifle, Heston suggests macerating the fruit in fructose first.

Rocky road pudding Source: Supplied

16.Take me home, rocky road

Heston, takes rocky road one step further by using the key ingredients of strawberry sauce, glaced cherries, Turkish delight and desiccated coconut as the starting point of a traditional gateau or pudding.

17.The short of shortbread

Heston’s advice: “Replacing some of the butter with olive oil gives a lighter and crispier texture. I like to make them in different flavoured oils and nuts.”

18.Tiramisu

Still on texture, Heston recommends adding a couple of layers of crispy chocolate discs between the layers of biscuit and cream to add crunch.

19.Flip out over pancakes

Pancakes are a surprise entry in the top recipes sought at Christmas time. Donna suggests a gift of pancake mix with vanilla maple syrup is ideal for saying “Happy holidays”.

20. Here’s cheers

Open the bottle of bubbles. It’s time to eat.

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> FRESH CHERRY RELISH

MAKES 1¼ CUPS

PREP: 10MINS (plus marinating time)

COOK: 0MINS

SKILLS: BASIC

300g fresh cherries, halved, pitted

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, trimmed, thinly sliced

3 tsp shredded fresh mint

3 tsp shredded fresh continental parsley

3 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons caster sugar

½ tsp sea salt flakes

METHOD

1. Cut the cherry halves in half and place in a bowl.

2. Add the oil, shallot, mint, parsley, vinegar, sugar and salt. Season with pepper and toss to combine. Set aside for 15 minutes to develop the flavours.

Christmas shortbread. Source: Supplied

> SHORTBREAD

MAKES 4

PREP: 15MINS

COOK: 20MINS

SKILLS: Intermediate

125g butter, softened

½ cup caster sugar

1 cup plain flour

¼ cup white rice flour

Rice flour, extra, to dust

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Stir in combined flour. Bring dough together in bowl. Shape into a disc. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

2. Dust a wooden shortbread mould with extra rice flour. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 4mm-thick disc. Cut a 13cm disc from the dough and press into prepared mould. Trim excess dough. Turn on to prepared tray. Repeat to make 4 rounds.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cranberry and pancetta stuffing cups. Source: Supplied

> DONNA HAY’S CRANBERRY AND PANCETTA STUFFING CUPS

MAKES 12

PREP: 10MINS

COOK: 15-20MINS

SKILLS: BASIC

Skills: Basic

12 slices (180g) round pancetta

5 cups (350g) fresh breadcrumbs

1 cup (130g) dried cranberries

2 eggs

120g unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons torn sage leaves

¼ cup thyme leaves

2 cloves garlic, crushed

sea salt and cracked black pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the pancetta in the base of 12 x ½-cup-capacity (125ml) lightly greased cupcake tins.

2. Place the breadcrumbs, cranberries, eggs, butter, sage, thyme garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine.

3. Spoon the bread mixture into the pancetta-lined cupcake tins and bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden and crunchy. Serve warm.

> ROCKY ROAD PUDDING

SERVES 8

PREP / 20MINS (plus freezing time)

COOK / 0MINS

SKILLS / EASY

16 chocolate biscuits

1.25 litres vanilla ice-cream, softened

1 cup vanilla custard

1 cup mini marshmallows

¼ cup desiccated coconut

¼ cup granulated nuts

1 cup frozen raspberries, roughly crushed

Chocolate Ice Magic, sprinkles and silver cachous, to decorate

Vanilla custard, to serve

METHOD

1. Line an 8 cup-capacity metal pudding steamer with plastic wrap, allowing a 2cm overhang.

2. Break 10 biscuits into 2cm pieces. Combine the ice-cream, biscuit pieces, custard, marshmallows, coconut, nuts and raspberries in a bowl. Spoon the mixture into the prepared steamer. Smooth top. Top with the remaining biscuits. Freeze overnight or until firm.

3. Stand pudding at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften. Turn out on to a plate. Carefully peel away wrap. Drizzle with Ice Magic. Top with sprinkles and cachous. Serve with custard.