Serves 6–8
Preparation time 20 minutes, plus soaking and freezing
Cooking time 10 minutes
125 g (4 oz) glacé cherries, chopped, plus extra whole ones to decorate (optional)
50 g (2 oz) dried cranberries, chopped
50 g (2 oz) crystallized pineapple, chopped
50 g (2 oz) preserved stem ginger, drained and chopped
75 g (3 oz) seedless raisins
4 tablespoons brandy
3 egg yolks
75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
300 ml (½ pint) single cream
150 ml (¼ pint) double cream
6 tablespoons chopped toasted almonds, plus extra whole ones to decorate (optional)
crystallized ginger, chopped, to decorate (optional)
Place the cherries, cranberries, pineapple, ginger and raisins in a bowl. Pour the brandy over and leave to soak for 1 hour.
Beat the yolks and sugar until thoroughly combined. Bring the single cream just to the boil, remove from the heat and stir gradually into the yolk mix. Transfer to a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water and cook gently, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain into a bowl and leave to cool, stirring occasionally.
Whip the double cream until it stands in soft peaks, then fold in the cold custard. Freeze in a rigid container, covered, for 2–3 hours until half-frozen. Stir in the fruit, brandy and chopped almonds. Place in a 1 litre (1¾ pint) foil pudding bowl and level the surface.
Cover the bowl with foil, then wrap in a polythene bag. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost and serve, unwrap the bowl and invert on to a serving plate. Rub with a cloth wrung out in very hot water until the bombe drops out. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Decorate with some whole glacé cherries and toasted almonds and a few pieces of chopped crystallized ginger, if liked.
For Christmas pudding ice cream, replace the glacé cherries, cranberries, crystallized pineapple, ginger and raisins with 400 g (13 oz) dried mixed luxury fruit. Add 1 teaspoon each ground mixed spice and ground cinnamon to the frozen cream and custard mixture with the brandy-soaked fruit and the almonds. Omit the glacé cherry, toasted almond and ginger decoration.