Christmas Pudding Ice Cream Bomb Recipes

Steps:

• Take the ice cream out of the freezer for 20 mins to soften. Put the mixed dried fruit in a small pan and stir through the brandy, clementine zest and juice and cinnamon, then heat until just steaming. Set aside to cool.
• Oil and line a medium pudding basin (approx 900ml) with two layers of baking parchment. Cut into the sides of the parchment, so it fits closely around the sides of the basin - you want it to be as smooth as possible as it will imprint into the bombe. Two layers of parchment will help you remove it once frozen.
• Mix the softened ice cream, infused fruit and any remaining liquid with the free from Christmas Pudding in a large bowl. Mix gently until the fruit and pudding are evenly distributed in the ice cream. Spoon into the basin, and smooth over the top. Cover and freeze for 6 hrs until solid. Will keep frozen for up to three months.
• About 20 mins before serving, heat the cream in a small pan until steaming. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl, then pour the hot cream over it, stirring until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Leave to cool slightly. Remove the bombe from the freezer 10 mins before serving.
• To serve, invert the bombe onto a serving plate and remove any parchment - dip the base of the basin into warm water to help remove it if needed. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top, easing it gently down the sides of the bombe a little before it sets. Top with the dried cranberries or glacé cherries, and the holly or bay leaves, if using. Spray everything with gold lustre, if you like, and serve whole at the table before cutting into portions.

Steps:

• Combine the milk and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to just below the boiling point. Combine the egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl and beat until pale and ribbons form. Bring the milk back to the boil and pour in a thin stream onto egg yolks and sugar whisking steadily.
• Pour the mixture into a double boiler and stir until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Plunge the base of the pan into cold water. Transfer the custard to a jug and cover, chill and pour in the chilled cream.
• Stir in the brandy and churn in the ice-cream maker until it is the consistency of whipped cream. Crumble in the pudding and churn for a further five seconds. Scrape into a box and freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Chill the bomb mold. Remove mold from freezer and line each half with pudding mixture. Top each half with a brandy-butter-sugar mixture. Put halves together and close bomb. Allow to freeze hard. Turn out, pour some brandy over and ignite.

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit into a large bowl, add 2 tbsp brandy and the sugar, then cover with cling film. Microwave on High for 2 mins until the sugar has melted and the fruit plumped up. Give it a stir, then leave to cool and soak overnight. If you're short of time, carry on with step 2 and leave to soak for as long as it takes to complete step 2.
• Put the cream, remaining brandy and icing sugar into a large bowl and whip to soft peaks. Pour the custard into another bowl and fold the cream into it. Tip into a freezer container and freeze the mix for 4 hrs, stirring the frozen edges into the rest of the mixture every hour or so until the whole tub is soft, but frozen (or use an ice cream machine, churning for 20-30 mins until thick). Meanwhile, line a 1.2-litre pudding basin with cling film.
• Once the ice cream mix is thick, quickly fold the soaked fruit (and any liquid from it) and frozen cranberries through it and spoon into the lined basin. Freeze overnight or for at least 6 hrs. To serve, leave bombe at room temperature for 10 mins and turn out onto a serving plate.
• To make the cranberry brandy butter sauce, in a heavy-based pan gently heat muscovado sugar and butter until the sugar dissolves.
• Splash in brandy, add cranberries and boil gently till the cranberries pop, but still hold their shape and colour the sauce. If you want to, sieve the seeds out of the sauce and add some more cranberries for a really glossy finish. Serve hot or warm.

Steps:

• Line a 1.2-litre pudding bowl with a double layer of cling film, leaving plenty overhanging, and make a space for the bowl in the freezer. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the butter and 2 tbsp caramel, and blend until well mixed. Save about 3 tbsp for the top and tip the rest into the lined pudding bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press evenly over the base and up the sides of the bowl. Freeze for 30 mins.
• Remove the chocolate ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften at room temperature for 10 mins. Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer too (the biscuits should be firm by now.) Spoon the ice cream into the biscuit- lined bowl, packing it into the base. Spoon over the remaining caramel, spreading it to the biscuit walls. Return to the freezer for 30 mins.
• Remove the caramel ice cream and allow it to soften for 10 mins. Meanwhile, tip 75g Maltesers into a bowl and lighty crush with the end of a rolling pin, leaving some chunky bits. Add the ice cream to the bowl and stir through the Malteser pieces - work quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt too much. Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer and tip in the Malteser ice cream, spreading it to completely fill the bowl, then level the top. Scatter with the remaining biscuit crumbs. Return to the freezer for at least 4 hrs (or for up to 2 weeks).
• Put the cream in a pan and heat until steaming hot but not boiling. Put the chocolate in a large bowl and pour over the cream. Leave to stand for 1-2 mins, then stir to make a smooth ganache. Set aside to cool until the sauce thickens to a spreadable consistency (you can speed this up by putting it in the fridge, but remember to stir it every 5-10 mins or it will set around the edges).
• Remove the pudding bowl from the freezer. Turn it onto a plate and remove the bowl and cling film. Spread half the chocolate ganache all over the pudding and, as quickly as you can, stick the remaining Maltesers all over the surface - this is easiest if you start around the bottom and work your way up in layers. The chocolate ganache will start to set, so use a little more from the bowl to make the Maltesers stick. Once covered, return to the freezer for at least a further 4 hrs (or for up to 3 days), removing it 10 mins before serving. Top with a dusting of icing sugar and a sprig of holly, if you like.

Steps:

• Mix all of the boozy fruit ingredients together in a bowl, then microwave on High for 3 mins. Stir, then leave to cool completely, ideally overnight.
• For the ice cream, put the spices in a saucepan and gently heat for 3 mins or so, stirring once or twice, until fragrant. Tip in the cream and vanilla seeds, and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and sugar together. Whisk the hot cream into the egg mix, then tip the mix into a clean pan and gently heat for 5-10 mins until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour everything into a bowl or plastic container and leave to cool completely. If possible, chill it overnight as this will infuse the ice cream with a stronger Christmassy spice flavour.
• Pass the mix through a sieve into another container, then freeze for 5 hrs, stirring in the frozen edges with a fork every hour until you have a smooth, thick mix. Oil a 1.4 or 1.2-litre pudding basin and line with cling film.
• Drain the boozy fruit in a sieve, mix the fruit with the ginger nuts and zests, then quickly stir into the ice cream. Tip into the basin, cover the surface with cling film, then freeze for at least 6 hrs.
• For the topping, put everything into a small pan, gently heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2 mins. Cool completely. To turn the pudding out, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 mins, then turn onto a plate. Ease the cling film away. Spoon the cranberries and syrup over to serve.

Steps:

• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar with an electric whisk for 10 mins until pale and thick. Break up the Christmas pudding with a fork and stir it into the egg mixture so it is evenly distributed, then pour in the brandy and mix again.
• In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold it into the mixture with a large metal spoon. Pour into a freezer-proof container, cover well and freeze for several hours until set.