Description
This Show-Stopping Christmas Ice Cream Pudding is a festive frozen dessert combining traditional Christmas pudding flavors with creamy vanilla ice cream. Featuring soaked dried fruits, nuts, warming spices, and a splash of rum, this easy-to-make pudding promises to impress your guests with minimal hands-on time. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it requires just 10 minutes of prep and freezes overnight for a delightful, crowd-pleasing finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Nut Mixture
- 125 g blanched almonds, finely chopped
- 125 g maraschino or glacé cherries (or substitute maraschino cherries)
- ⅓ cup mixed peel, chopped (or substitute chopped dried apricots)
- 1 cup dried fruit (such as sultanas)
Spices and Liquids
- ½ cup rum (or substitute sherry, brandy, or for non-alcoholic: 1 tbsp vanilla essence + ¼ cup water)
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
Pudding Base and Garnish
- 1 ½ L vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
- Chocolate sauce (or ice magic or melted chocolate) for serving
- Crushed nuts for garnish
- Additional maraschino or glacé cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Soak Fruits and Nuts: In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely chopped blanched almonds, maraschino or glacé cherries, mixed peel, dried fruit, rum, mixed spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are well coated with the spices and rum. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the dried fruits to soak. Optionally, stir once or twice during soaking for even distribution.
- Prepare Pudding Basin: Line an 8-cup pudding basin or a large bowl with aluminium foil, pressing out any wrinkles to create a smooth lining that will help with removal later.
- Combine with Ice Cream: Take the slightly softened vanilla ice cream and fold it gently but thoroughly into the soaked fruit and nut mixture, ensuring an even blend of creamy ice cream and spiced fruit.
- Freeze the Pudding: Spoon the combined mixture into the lined pudding basin or bowl, pressing down gently to compact it. Cover securely and transfer to the freezer. Freeze until firm, which will take about 6-8 hours; however, freezing overnight is recommended for the best texture and flavor development.
- Serve: When ready to serve, unmold the pudding onto a serving plate. Decorate with chocolate sauce, crushed nuts, and additional maraschino or glacé cherries for a festive and elegant presentation.
Notes
- This recipe requires minimal hands-on prep time, making it perfect for busy holiday schedules.
- Customize the dried fruits and nuts according to your preference or what you have on hand.
- For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the rum with vanilla essence and water.
- Freezing the pudding overnight ensures a firmer texture and better melding of flavors.
- If you do not have a pudding basin, a large bowl lined with foil works equally well.
- Leftover pudding can be stored in the freezer for up to one week; allow to soften slightly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 37 g
- Sodium: 112 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 61 mg
