Christmas Pudding Ice Cream Bombe

The perfect summer Christmas dessert, combining festive pudding with cool, creamy ice cream and bursts of berries. It’s easy to make, impressive to serve, and can be prepared ahead of time.

Ingredients:

You’ll need a small pre-bought Christmas pudding (around 500g), one litre of good-quality vanilla ice cream, and a mix of berries and cherries—about a cup each. Fresh or frozen work perfectly. For decoration, keep some extra berries, cherries, a light dusting of icing sugar, and a few mint leaves on hand.

Method:

Start by allowing the vanilla ice cream to soften slightly. You want it soft enough to mix easily but not completely melted. Gently fold the mixed berries and cherries into the ice cream, combining everything until the fruit is evenly distributed.

Next, line a medium-sized mixing bowl with baking paper, leaving a little overhang to help you lift the dessert out later. Break the Christmas pudding into large chunks and press it firmly into the base of the lined bowl. This will create a deliciously spiced foundation for the ice cream bombe.

Spoon the berry-studded ice cream mixture over the pudding layer, pressing it down gently to ensure there are no air pockets. Smooth the top with a spatula, cover it with another layer of baking paper, and place it in the freezer. Allow it to freeze for at least six hours, or ideally overnight, until it is completely firm.

When you’re ready to serve, remove the bowl from the freezer and let it sit for a few minutes to loosen slightly. Carefully lift it out using the baking paper, then turn it upside down onto a serving platter. Peel away the baking paper and reveal the beautiful, icy dessert.

To decorate, scatter fresh berries and cherries over the top, adding a dusting of icing sugar for a festive snow-dusted look. A few mint leaves will give it a final burst of colour.

Serving Tip: 

Slice into generous wedges and enjoy the combination of creamy ice cream, bursts of juicy fruit, and the rich spiced pudding. It’s the perfect balance of festive flavours and cool summer indulgence, and the best part is, it can be prepared up to three days in advance—leaving you free to enjoy the celebrations.