If you are entertaining over the Christmas period and are looking for a decadent dessert that is simple to make but sure to impress your guests, then look no further.

This smashed meringue recipe only takes a few minutes to put together, but it certainly has the WOW factor.

Add a delicate flourish of Persian fairy floss to add sweetness and sensationalism!

Grab all your ingredients for this recipe at Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets.

Preparation time: 15 - 20 minutes

Cooking Time: No cooking required

Serving: Four glasses

Place strawberries in a bowl, sprinkle with caster sugar and add caramelised balsamic dressing. Mix gently and set aside for 10 minutes or until strawberries have softened.

Combine cream and vanilla pod seeds and whip until soft peaks form.

Crumble meringue kisses and add to the cream mixture (leave some for decoration).

Layer your chosen glass or jar with the strawberries, then the cream mixture.

Top with extra meringue, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blueberries, and a mint sprig.

Flourish with Persian fairy floss.

Recipe by accredited practising dietitian Ang Quinlan from GH Nutrition, for the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets.

Open Thursday to Sunday from 7am to 5.30pm.

Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets offer unparalleled quality, range and convenience in one location. The majority of retail space is dedicated to the sale of fresh produce, including fruit and vegetables, meats, seafood, delicatessens and bakery products. There is also a wide variety of specialty stores, including an Asian grocery, health food shop, wine and liquor store and the Niche Markets.

Located at 36 Mildura St, Fyshwick.

Find out more at fyshwickmarkets.com.au.

Horsepower, burnouts, fun with mates and an awesome music lineup. The Street Machine Summernats 36, proudly supported by Rare Spares, is set to shred tyres and make history at Exhibition Park from Thursday, January 4 to Sunday, January 7, 2024.

Summernats 36 entries sold out in record time (in May this year) and will host the biggest burnout competition in Summernats history, including a contingent of cars that qualified at events across New Zealand.

The event features Australia's most spectacular custom show cars, the best burnout drivers on the planet, a massive performance trade show, non-stop cruising, incredible horsepower demonstrations, amazing food, a great vibe, and a music line up that can't be beaten.

Summernats 36 has the biggest ever concert line-up including Aussie rock greats Jimmy Barnes, Darryl Braithwaite and the Screaming Jets, plus Hot Dub Time Machine.

Dragon, VoxNeon will also play in an entrant-exclusive on the Wednesday night leading into the event.

Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez said there will be all that plus 30 incredible new and unseen modified cars that will be unveiled.

"Enjoy the mayhem of Skid Row, the colour and excitement of the City Cruise, the Braddon Fringe Festival, plus Mulletfest and everything else - it's going to be mad," Andy said.

Summernats entrant development manager Owen Webb has been around the 'Nats for all 35 years adding, "to have 30 out of this world, brand new cars to unveil is mind blowing."

For tickets and more go to summernats.com.au.

Whether you are visiting for a day, or you have lived here all your life, there is always something new to discover and explore in Canberra.

As usual, the Christmas holiday period will be buzzing with excitement, but if you are stuck for some ideas on what to see and do next try these popular options:

A highlight of the festive calendar, the Canberra Comedy Festival brings their much loved Christmas show to the Canberra Theatre Centre for one night only on Friday, December 15.

Join the festival's best comedians as they get you into the Christmas spirit with an amazing show packed with comedy superstars.

Don't wait until the 2024 festival to get your laughter fix, come along to A Very Canberra Comedy Festival Christmas for the best Santa-sack full of laughs this side of the North Pole.

The show has become an annual festive tradition in Canberra and is returning once again to give an early look at the line-up for the upcoming 2024 Comedy Festival.

Ditch the dodgy Christmas cracker jokes and let the show fill your stockings with; Dilruk Jayasinha, Lizzy Hoo, Heath Franklin's Chopper, Gillian Cosgriff, Ray O'Leary, He Huang, Sean Woodland and more!

This two-hour comedy gala event features some of the very best acts from the upcoming Canberra Comedy Festival in one massive show!

The full Canberra Comedy Festival will be on sale by the time the Christmas show rolls around too - so keep an eye on the full program of comedy heading to Canberra next year from March 13-24.

All tickets and more information are available on the website at canberracomedyfestival.com.au.

BAH HUMBUG! The biggest theatrical event of the year returns to Canberra this holiday season.

Brimful of song, humour, love, and lashings of festive joy, A Christmas Carol is a magical, grand-in-scale production - perfect for the entire family.

It's Christmas Eve and Ebenezer Scrooge is counting down the seconds until the silliness of the season passes.

Deeply entrenched in his own misery, Scrooge receives a visit from four ghosts who whisk him away on a journey through Christmases past, present and future.

Here, he revisits fragments of his life and is faced with a number of choices. Redemption is his for the taking - but is Old Scrooge capable of changing his ways before it's too late?

Complete with live music, yule-tide carolling, innovative video design, lavish costumes and, of course, snow, A Christmas Carol, is an uplifting theatrical experience.

It is presented by Canberra Theatre Centre and shake & stir theatre co.

shake & stir is one of the country's leading contemporary theatre companies touring Australia and New Zealand since 2006. Some of their recent shows at Canberra Theatre Centre have included Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox, Jane Eyre, Roald Dahl's The Twits and Animal Farm.

A Christmas Carol is running from December 19-24 at Canberra Theatre Centre. For bookings go to canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/a-christmas-carol-2023.

The calendar has now officially turned over to December and that means the countdown to Christmas is on.

If you haven't already, it's time to put up the Christmas tree, get the carols playing, finish off the gift buying and get into the festive spirit.

Christmas events across the ACT are ramping up and there's so many way to immerse yourself in the joy of the season.

Take a walk through a forest and down North Pole Lane to a re-imagined Santa Village.

This immersive Christmas experience includes a talking, moving Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, a special area for story time, a snow garden with giant, moving butterflies, a princess with her polar bear, elves at their wrapping station, a train, the lovable Mrs Claus, a post office so you can write Santa a letter, and photo opportunities with Santa in his lounge room.

A Christmas experience like no other, it is designed for those who have a timeless love of Christmas and want to create wonderful holiday memories.

North Pole Lane is located at 10 Catalina Drive, Majura Park (next to the Kitchen Warehouse). It is open until December 24. Get tickets at eventbrite.com.au/e/north-pole-lane-at-majura-park-tickets-744734389607.

Exclusive offers, Canberra's finest gifts and enchanting roving Christmas performances are set to make the City Centre and Braddon the ultimate destination for holiday spirit with Festive Finds in the City.

City Walk is now adorned with traditional Christmas trimmings. Highlights also include an enormous 16-metre Christmas tree donned with giant baubles, candy cane light poles, festive hanging decorations, and a fairy-lit pathway creating a truly enchanting atmosphere.

There are also free merry-go-round rides and weekend roving entertainment.

Minister for Business and Better Regulation Tara Cheyne said the campaign gives Canberrans the opportunity to get involved in the fun of Christmas, find ideal gifts, and support local business.

"Canberrans are fantastic at coming together to help each other. Shopping locally plays an important role in boosting our economy, especially over the Christmas and new year period," said Minster Cheyne.

"Finding the perfect present for your loved ones is simple and easy this Christmas. The Festive Finds in the City gift guide is filled with fantastic products, services, and experiences from local businesses.

"Between Garema Place and the Canberra Times fountain, visitors can immerse themselves in the free events, activities, and performances as they shop, eat, celebrate, and have fun."

As part of Festive Finds in the City there will be a City Christmas Party on December 15 from 4pm-10pm between the merry-go-round (Petrie Plaza) and the Christmas tree (Ainslie Place). Dress up in your favourite holiday-inspired attire and dance into the Christmas festivities. Find out more at festivefinds.inthecity.com.au

Sing along to all your favourite Christmas tunes at Canberra Carols by Candlelight. Taking place on Saturday, December 9 at 6pm-8.30pm at Stage 88, Commonwealth Park.

This free, community event is brought to you by the Woden Valley Youth Choir. See more at facebook.com/CanberraCarols.