RECIPE: Christmas pudding ice cream

This week I took part in a live cookery Google hangout with Great British Chefs and Tesco Real Food.

 

I have done a couple of these now and they are always great fun. You basically get to cook along with a chef – in this case Galton Blackiston – and ask them questions about anything to do with the recipe as you go. We were trying out one of their Christmas recipes – Christmas pudding ice cream.

If you are anything like my family then you buy a Christmas pudding because you think you should, have one portion out of it, and then get left wondering what to do with the rest. This recipe is a great way to use up those leftovers, but can work just as well with Christmas cake or dried fruit. It’s much easier to make than you think and you don’t even need an ice cream maker.

Gently heat 600ml of cream (single if you are using an ice cream maker, double if not), 300ml whole milk and a spot of vanilla extract or paste. Meanwhile, beat together 6 egg yolks and 125g sugar until pale and creamy.

(Don’t throw away the whites – these make a good low fat, high protein omelette.)

Gradually beat the cream into the egg mixture and when it is all combined, return it to the heat, stirring continuously until it starts to thicken and coats the back of your spoon. This is your custard. Well done! You just have to resist the urge now to drink the whole lot.

Leave the custard to cool completely and then either pop it into the ice cream maker or a container for the freezer. When it has started to stiffen up a bit, add 250g of crumbled Christmas pudding. If you are freezing it rather than using an ice cream maker you just need to make sure you stir it regularly to keep the texture smooth. I actually went out for dinner with friends after putting mine in the freezer, but Belle gave it a stir a couple of time while I was out and it looks good to me.

Do you have any favourite recipes for Christmas leftovers?