Christmas pudding is one of those real love/hate things. Personally I love it, but my brother can’t stand it. In an attempt to find a compromise I’ve been experimenting with making Christmas Pudding Ice Cream.

I’m not sure why some people don’t like Christmas Pudding, maybe it’s too rich after a really too rich meal. Maybe it’s too old fashioned tasting, maybe the fruit is a bit of a challenge, I don’t know. I’ve tried to make a less stodgy alternative, a bit lighter on the fruit and without so much of the heavy puddingness of the traditional pudding, but still with some of the festive flavour.

I’ve come up with this, an incredibly easy but rich vanilla ice cream topped with Courvoisier soaked festive fruits. It’s utterly delicious, you can whip it up the night before, or made up to a month ahead of the big day. It is delicious, incredibly simple and uses only four ingredients. I think we’ve found a winner!

Easy Christmas Pudding Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 pint of double cream (whipped)
Tin of condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 jar of Opies Christmas Fruits with Courvoisier

Method

1. Whip your cream until it forms peaks, then beat through the vanilla extract.
2. Pour your condensed milk into a separate bowl, gently fold your cream into the condensed milk.
3. Chop up, approximately half the jar of Opies Christmas Fruits with Courvoisier and gently stir through, making sure not to include the Courvoisier syrup.
4. Line individual ramekins with clingfilm and fill with the ice cream mixture. Or, pour the mixture into a tub and freeze for 6-8 hours minimum.

To serve, turn out the ramekins, remove the clingfilm and drizzle over some more fruit and some of the lovely Courvoisier syrup from the jar.

I used a jar of Opies Christmas Fruits with Courvoisier which is just perfect for this recipe and would be great in so many different things. I suspect it would be excellent in a baked apple or simply spooned onto some thick yoghurt. It’s a bit boozy, so it’s really not for breakfast (except for on high days and holidays), but absolutely fantastic to keep in the cupboard for a festive emergency, or to make some of this delicious Christmas Pudding Ice Cream with.

Are you a Christmas Pudding lover or loather?