Rum & Craisin Christmas Ice Cream Puddings

December 24th, 2008 by Not Quite Nigella
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I adore craisins, that rubied portmanteau of Cranberry and Raisin, a gloriously pink dried sweetened cranberries that just seems so Christmasy to me. And whilst I love a hot Christmas pudding, given our 40C degree weather during Summer, an Ice Cream pudding is much more preferable. As soon as I saw a picture of Donna Hay’s ice cream puddings last year, I knew I had to make them. Except I had a year to wait to do this. Sure I could’ve cheated and made it for a Christmas in July celebration. My life went on, the recipe tucked inside the “sweets” folder, always near the top, lest I forget. And when December hit and the mercury reached in the high 20s, I knew it was time.

These remind me of those little Nougat Christmas puddings that come out around Christmas time (or around October it seems nowadays) at Darrell Lea. I used to get one every year but haven’t for the last 10 years or so, but the sight of the rounded plastic spoon and the holly and berries reminds me of a time before food blogging. B.B. if you will, when I could just enjoy a meal without photographing it, when I could go to a restaurant twice without a second thought and when I didn’t have to pause for photographs before tucking into a meal. And then I think about how wonderful life is now that I get to count eating as a hobby and hopefully a living and the amazing people I’ve met I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Merry Christmas everyone! Thankyou for reading – your lovely support, comments and readership make writing this blog a true pleasure :) I hope that your Christmases are filled with fun and good food!

Lots of love,

NQN
xxx

Rum & Craisin Christmas Ice Cream Puddings

  • 1 litre/1 quart good vanilla ice cream softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 100g/3.53 oz craisins or sweetened dried cranberries soaked in 1 tablespoon of rum (for as long as your patience allows but at least 20 minutes)
  • 75grams/2.65 oz hazelnuts or pistachios, chopped roughly
  • 200g/7oz white chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Holly and leaves to decorate

1. Stir cinnamon, nutmeg, craisins and hazelnuts into softened vanilla ice cream and place back in freezer to set (at least 4 hours or overnight).

2. Scoop balls in a rough round pudding shape using an ice cream scoop. Have a glass of warm water ready to dip your ice cream scoop into between scoops.

3. Freeze on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.

4. Combine chocolate and vegetable oil in a small saucepan over low heat until melted and combined. Spoon over the frozen ice cream balls and affix holly and leaves when chocolate has started to dry.

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Posted in Christmas,Cooking and Recipes,Ice Creams,Other Sweet Things,Themes

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18 Comments | Add your own

  • 1. yaelian | December 24th, 2008 at 7:23 am | #

    Your ice cream puddings look so pretty! Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

  • 2. Barbara | December 24th, 2008 at 7:41 am | #

    I’m a huge Craisin fan too! This looks delicious! Merry Christmas!

  • 3. Helen | December 24th, 2008 at 9:08 am | #

    Festive and fruity (and involving ice cream and cranberries… yum!).

    Have a lovely Christmas Lorraine and thanks for all your dedicated posts throughout the year. I don’t think there’s a more diligent blog poster in Australia – possibly the world!

  • 4. Maria T | December 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am | #

    Merry Christmas NQN! Thank you for being a great part of my day.

    Lots of love and xmas joy,
    Maria

  • 5. Johanna | December 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am | #

    These look wonderfully festive and worthy of remembering! I too am glad blogging is now a part of your life as your posts are lovely and full of such delightful photos as these – hope you have a good christmas

  • 6. Annie | December 24th, 2008 at 10:10 am | #

    Yum! And so easy too! Happy Christmas – hope it is full of fun and food!

  • 7. m | December 24th, 2008 at 11:42 am | #

    Hi, am enjoying your blog daily. How many people does this recipe serve? thanks. Have a great Christmas!

  • 8. Hayley | December 24th, 2008 at 1:21 pm | #

    ooh so yummy!
    merry Christmas!

  • 9. Christie @ fig&cherry | December 24th, 2008 at 2:12 pm | #

    Absolutely adorable styling! I’m a craisin fan too ;)

  • 10. Iron Chef Shellie | December 24th, 2008 at 3:28 pm | #

    Merry Christmas NQN!!
    x

  • 11. Cakelaw | December 24th, 2008 at 3:33 pm | #

    These are just adorable, and perfect for the Sydney heat at Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!

  • 12. Paula | December 24th, 2008 at 7:44 pm | #

    Merry Christmas NGN, I may be a latecomer but I have really enjoyed visiting your site.
    Look forward to more in the new year! :)

  • 13. Arwen from Hoglet K | December 24th, 2008 at 8:29 pm | #

    Ah, B.B., when you did’t have to worry about finding a camera at every impromptu meal ;) Nice puddings!

  • 14. holler | December 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm | #

    I hadn’t heard of Craisins before, but they sound like a great idea as do the puddings. Beautifully photographed!

    Have a great Christmas!
    love
    Holler

  • 15. Johanna B | December 25th, 2008 at 12:53 am | #

    Happy Holiday to you from Topeka, KS USA. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog this year and am looking forward to another year.

  • 16. Tami | December 25th, 2008 at 4:03 am | #

    This is an absolutely gorgeous dessert!

  • 17. Not Quite Nigella | December 26th, 2008 at 8:50 pm | #

    Hi yaelian-Thankyou so much! And I hope you have a really lovely Christmas too full of lovely Finnish Cheer-moi moi! :)

    Hi Barbara-They’re addictive little things aren’t they! Merry Christmas to you too! :D

    Hi Helen-I think I’ll add cranberries to anything round about now :lol:

    Thankyou so much for your kind words and support! I hope your Christmas was full of fun and laughter too :D

    Hi Maria-Thankyou so much for being such a loyal, long time reader! I hope Santa gave you everything that you wished for! :D

    Love,

    Lorraine
    xxx

    Hi Johanna-I can’t remember life before blogging. Thankyou for reading and also for your site too, it’s wonderful! :)

    Hi Annie-that’s the best kind of dessert isn’t it :lol: I hope you had a great Christmas with your family! :D

    Hi m-Thankyou so much :) Good question! It makes about 1.25 litres so perhaps about 8-10 scoops depending on how large your pudding shaped scoops are :)

    Hi Hayley-Thankyou so much and Merry Christmas! :)

    Hi Christie-Thankyou! Haha looks like there are more of us out there! :o

    Hi Iron Chef Shellie-Merry Christmas to you and your family! :D

    Hi Cakelaw-Hehe yes this year’s Christmas did not disappoint with hot, perfect for ice cream weather. I hope you and your family had a really lovely Christmas, thankyou so much for your support! :)

    Hi Paula-Merry Christmas! :D Wonderful, so glad that you like it and thankyou so much for reading :)

    Hi Arwen-Haha yes life was much simpler then :lol: Thanks!

    Hi holler-Thankyou so much! It was a challenge photographing ice cream in the blanketing Sydney heat but the fun bit was eating them up afterwards :lol:

    Merry Christmas to you Holler! I hope it was a fantastic one :)

    Love,

    Lorraine
    xxx

    Hi Johanna-How very cool, hello to you and Topeka Kansas! :D Thankyou so much for your kind words, I hope I can continue to earn your readership next year :D

    Hi Tami-Thankyou so much! :D

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