Christmas Ice Cream Pudding

Serves 10

Ingredients:

50g toasted almonds, chopped

1/4 cup mixed peel

60g raisins, chopped

60g sultanas

60g currants

1/3 cup rum

1 litre vanilla ice-cream

2 tbsp brandy

100g red and green glace cherries, quartered

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 litre chocolate ice-cream

Method:

1. Place almonds, peel, raisins, sultanas, currants and rum in a medium bowl.
2. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap. Stand it overnight.
3. Place 2 litre capacity pudding basin into the freezer to chill.
4. Soften the vanilla ice-cream slightly and mix in the brandy and cherries. Press this ice-cream around the inside of the chilled pudding bowl, spread evenly right to the top of the bowl.
5. Return to freezer and freeze overnight. Check the ice-cream a couple of times and re spread evenly to the top.
6. Add spices and chocolate ice-cream to fruit mixture and mix well in the next day.
7. Spoon into the centre of the pudding bowl and smooth the top.
8. Return to freezer overnight or till pudding is very firm. Cut into wedges and decorate with holly leaves to serve.