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Frozen Christmas pudding

Ice-cream pudding with dried fruit and chocolate for a summer Christmas

In the heat of an Australian December, many families swap the steamed pudding for a frozen one, ice cream packed with fruit, nuts and chocolate and set in a pudding basin so it still looks the part on the Christmas table in Brisbane or Perth. It is made days ahead and turned out just before serving. A common mistake is letting the ice cream melt too much while mixing, which makes it icy when refrozen; soften it only until stirrable. Chef's tip: soak the fruit in orange juice the night before so it stays soft when frozen.
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
10
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Ingredients

Serves10

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: The night before, soak 7 oz mixed dried fruit and 2 ⅛ oz glacé cherries in ½ cup orange juice with 1 tsp mixed spice.

    720 min
  2. Step 2: Line a 2 litre pudding basin with cling film, leaving plenty overhanging.

    5 min
  3. Step 3: Soften 8 ¼ cups good vanilla ice cream for 10–15 minutes at room temperature, just until it can be stirred. Fold in the fruit and any juice, 3 ½ oz dark chocolate and 1 ¾ oz toasted flaked almonds quickly.

    15 min
  4. Step 4: Pack into the basin, cover with the overhanging film and freeze for at least 8 hours or up to a week.

    5 min
  5. Step 5: To serve, dip the basin in warm water for 10 seconds, turn out onto a chilled plate, peel off the film and cut into wedges.

    10 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
380 kcal
Protein
6 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
19 g
Fibre
2 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does frozen Christmas pudding take?
About 30 minutes in total.
How many people does it serve?
10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of orange juice?
Mandarin or pineapple juice, same amount.
What can I use instead of good vanilla ice cream?
Thick yoghurt with a little honey and vanilla.

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