Yumi Stynes is the queen of Zero F*cks Cooking!
Endless Summer is her second Zero F*cks book and brings to the table a new collection of family friendly, and friends friendly, recipes to share with your loved ones!
Embracing hot weather Christmases is bloody marvellous, but I still love the traditional foods and have a particular weakness for the flavours of Christmas pudding with custard. I love being able to pull this out of the freezer on Christmas Day, having made it in advance, feeling calm, organised and a bit up myself!
Serves 6
Cooking time: none | Prep time: 20 mins
- 550 G (1 LB 3 OZ) BEST-QUALITY VANILLA ICE CREAM
- CANOLA OIL SPRAY500 G (1 LB 2 OZ)
- BEST-QUALITY STORE-BOUGHT CHRISTMAS PUDDING
- 1/2 TEASPOON MIXED SPICE
- 1 TEASPOON BRANDY TO SERVE
- STORE-BOUGHT CUSTARD
- 6 CHERRIES
- 6 MINT SPRIGS
Pull the vanilla ice cream out of the freezer and leave on the counter for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
Lightly spray a 6-hole large muffin tray with a little oil. Place a scoop of the ice cream (about 40 g/11/2 oz) in each of the holes, then transfer the tray to the freezer.
Using a sharp knife and working horizontally, cut six slices, each about 3–4 mm (1⁄8 in) thick, out of the centre of the pudding. Cut a disc out of the centre of each slice at a size that will fit neatly into the wider end of the muffin holes. Set aside.
Cut the offcuts and remaining pudding into 5 mm (¼ in) cubes, then add them to a bowl with the mixed spice, brandy and remaining ice cream. Mix together well, mashing the pudding into the ice cream a little.
Retrieve the muffin tray from the freezer and fill the holes with the pudding-ice cream mixture, finishing each with a pudding disc. (The disc will form the base of the pudding when you invert it.) Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until Christmas.
On serving day, microwave the custard until hot. Loosen the puddings from the muffin tray by pouring a tiny bit of boiling water from the kettle against the metal bottom of the tray (you won’t need much so try not to overdo it).
Pool a serve of custard into each bowl, top with a pudding ice cream and decorate with a cherry and a mint sprig. Take a photo, then serve immediately.
TIPS
There is a 100% chance that the puddings won’t look as neat as they do in the photo. This is to be expected – I have a food stylist helping me! Garnish beautifully and these will still look magnificent.
If necessary for space reasons you can pop the ice creams out of the muffin tray and store them in the freezer in a plastic bag, though they will keep their shape best inside the tray.
This is an edited extract from Zero F*cks Cooking: Endless Summer by Yumi Stynespublished by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 and is available in stores nationally. Photographer: © Chris Chen
