Ice Cream Christmas Puddings

All the flavours of Christmas pudding in a frozen desser t!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

◆ 60g raisins

◆ 60g sultanas

◆ 60g currants

◆ 100g glacé cherries, quartered

◆ 3tbsp dark rum or brandy

◆ ½tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)

◆ 700ml (approx. 1½ x 460ml tubs) good quality vanilla ice cream

◆ A little vegetable oil

◆ 6 small bunches seedless grapes

◆ 1 egg white, lightly beaten

◆ 2tbsp caster sugar

◆ Mint leaves and 2-3tbsp pomegranate seeds, to decorate

1 Put the raisins, sultanas, currants and glacé cherries into a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to stand for 5min. Drain really well, then stir in the rum or brandy and nutmeg. Cover and leave to stand overnight.

2 Next day, remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to soften for about 20min. Meanwhile brush 6x200ml individual pudding basins with a little vegetable oil and line with cling-film, allowing plenty to overlap when filled. Tip the ice cream into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until evenly mixed, but still semi-frozen.

3 Stir in the soaked fruits. Spoon into the prepared basins and cover with the cling film. Transfer to the freezer and freeze until solid. Dip the grapes into the lightly beaten egg white, then coat them in caster sugar. Open freeze until frozen, then pack in a small freezer box.

4 To ser ve, allow the pudding basins 4-5min at room temperature before turning out. Carefully remove the cling-film. Ser ve, decorated with the frozen grapes, mint leaves and pomegranate seeds.

COOK’S TIP: Soaking the fruit for approximately 5min in boiling water means that it soaks up the rum or brandy more readily.