Ice-Cream Christmas Pudding

JustJanS's Note:

I usually make a boiled plum pudding for Christmas, but the year my mother died, I found I didn't have the Christmas spirit to make one in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I made this the night before Christmas, and it's been a favourite of ours since. I don't think you need Christmas as the excuse to eat it-just hot days and 8-10 people to eat it. Prep time doesn't include the standing time, or freezing overnight

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 2 cups mixed dried fruit (raisins, golden raisins, currants, cherries, craisins, you choose)
• 90 g glace cherries , quartered
• 45 g glace apricot , chopped
• 45 g glace pineapple , chopped
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped glace ginger
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 1 tablespoon brandy
• 2 liters vanilla ice cream , softened
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Chocolate Sauce

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup cocoa powder , sifted
• 60 g butter
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 105 g dark semi-sweet chocolate , chopped
• 1 tablespoon brandy

Directions:

1. Mix fruits, rind liqueur and brandy in a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
2. Using a spoon, break up the ice-cream in a large bowl.
3. Add the fruit mix, choc9oate bits and nuts to ice-cream; working quickly stir until well mixed.
4. Line a 9-cup capacity pudding basin or bowl with plastic wrap.
5. Spoon in the ice-cream mixture; smooth the surface.
6. Cover with Plastic wrap; freeze over night.
7. To serve, unmould and cut into wedges.
8. Serve with chocolate sauce.
9. Chocolate Sauce: Place water, cocoa, butter and sugar in a small pan.
10. Stir over a low heat 4 minutes or until mixture boils and sugar is dissolved.
11. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate.
12. Stir until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth; stir in brandy.

Reviews

[Tisme]

Oh what a eonderful recipe.
I did have trouble finding glace fruits, and could not buy glace apricots, so used dried apricots instead. I also used macadamia's instead of pecan's and chocolate ice-cream instead of vanilla.
........... Ohh how divine this was, on a hot muggy Christmas night.
This just tasted like Tartufo Ice Cream, in flavour.......Which is my all time favourite Ice-cream...... Just gorgeous.
Thanks so much Jan, I am using this every year from now on, and during the year also I suspect! ;-)

[Bokenpop aka Madeleine]

Wonderful recipe!! I made this as an alternative to the hot stodgy puddings usually served. I will be making this regularly - not just at Christmas time! This recipe's fruit and nut mix could be adjusted to whatever you have onhand and it would still work out beautifully. Thanks for a really tasty addition to our Christmas table, Jan.

[Kate in Katoomba]

Delicious and how is easy is this to make?! I used a hazelnut and lemon gelato instead of vanilla icecream as a base, and omitted the nuts as a result. Even put in some lucky charms ... Merry Christmas and thanks for a great recipe.