Cheat's Christmas Pudding Ice Cream

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by Christmas this year.  Work is completely mental, we got back from India (amazing honeymoon)  at the end of November and I have all my lovely  in laws coming to stay. Loads of cooking to do and loads of food allergies in the house to cater for, so there'll be lots interesting things to make - when I'm not panic writing thank you cards and frantically wrapping presents.

I finally got out of the starting blocks this evening with a cheat's Christmas Pudding Ice Cream.  My mother, who was staying at the weekend is making a non cheat version and talking to her about it gave me the idea to use a Christmas Pudding that one of my team gave me. This one is going to be for the people without any allergy.

I used a basic ice cream custard recipe.

284ml carton double cream
300ml full fat milk
115g golden caster sugar
3 large free-range egg yolk

And added in two tbsp of brandy. 

The milk, cream, half the sugar and brandy were heated together gently and then cooled to room temperature. 

The eggs and the rest of the sugar get beaten together until light and falling in ribbons. Beat in 125ml of the milk/cream mixture. 

Return the rest of the cream to the heat and warm through.  Remove from heat and add in the egg mixture slowly. Stir continously and return to the heat. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil.

Remove from the heat a cool, stirring to prevent a skin forming. You're meant to put it in a bowl in another bowl of iced water. I put the pan in a sink of cold water which worked just as well.

All ice cream custard needs to be chilled throughly before churning.  So I popped it in the freezer for 30 minutes (rather than the fridge over night) but this is all about cheating today and just getting through the food prep for Christmas.

I then churned the ice cream in the ice cream maker for 30 minutes.  When that was finished I stirred it through with broken up Christmas Pudding before transferring to a tupperware and sealing.

Apparently it'll last three months in the freezer but I don't expect it to last past next week. It tasted delicious.

Up next will be a vegan icecream especially for my mother in law.