We had our first ever winter Christmas last year. I mentioned this to a Canadian friend recently and was met with a look of shock – is Christmas not in winter in New Zealand?!

Believe it or not the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. So this summer, which is quite definitely at an end here in Norman Wells, I craved a common New Zealand summer dessert. Common at the Christmas spread. Which we enjoy outside on the deck, in the hot sun, ‘throwing sausies on the barbie’ and enjoying cool, light and refreshing desserts.

Ambrosia is a classic Kiwi picnic dessert consisting of yogurt and cream typically studded with fruit, marshmellows and pineapple lumps. I ‘Kiwied’ mine all the more by including a crushed meringue (ie a pavlova that was a flop) and kiwifruit and brought it along to a Canadian get-together to celebrate a Kiwi friend’s birthday – a picnic that ended up indoors. Did I mention that we got ripped off with a summer this year? We had snow in August!

Raspberry & Kiwi Ambrosia
Recipe a De La Casa Original
Serves up to 12

I actually tasted a dish similar to this soon after moving to Canada, but rather than dessert it was served alongside meat as the main course and called a salad. A little different to the salads I was used to in NZ, I kept mine until after the meal and counted it as dessert.. I’m yet to adapt to this sweet yogurt and marshmallows with my main course!

For this version, I layered my elements in a glass bowl for a little more visual effect but traditionally everything is tossed together in a great bowl and, following the beachside BBQ, pulled from the chilly-bin and scooped into plastic picnic bowls.

250ml cream
750ml fruity yogurt
2 cups crushed meringue
1 cup berries, fresh or frozen
white chocolate (or marshmellows) chopped
kiwifruit, optional

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Mix through yogurt, meringues, berries and chocolate. Garnish with fresh fruit and more crushed meringue. Refrigerate for an hour or so.