'Cheats' Ice Cream Christmas Pudding

Ingredients

20 minutes preparation time + freezing time

8-10

In a large mixing bowl, add the slightly soften vanilla ice cream.
Using a large spoon mix it up a little, making it easier to evenly distribute the crumbled fruit cake.
Add the crumbled fruit cake to the ice cream and mix until well combined.
Transfer the ice cream mixture into a roughly 2-litre-sized pudding bowl or a dome-shaped mould of your choice.
Cover with glad wrap and place it in the freezer to set overnight.
Once the pudding is set, dip the pudding bowl into some warm water to loosen it, then turn the pudding out onto a serving plate.
Return it to the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
Melt the dark/milk chocolate and set it aside to cool slightly.
Pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate over the turned-out pudding.
Return it to the freezer.
Melt the white chocolate, pour it gently over the very top of the pudding, then place the cherry on top.
Put it back into the freezer until you're ready to serve.
This dessert can be stored in the freezer, covered, for several days before serving. It's a great option if you're short on time on the day of serving.

NOTES

If you're feeding a crowd, simply double the ingredients and use a larger pudding mould, with roughly a 3-3.5-litre capacity.
If you can't find dark fruit cake, leftover Christmas pudding also works well. I also have friends who have made it with chocolate cake crumbs for a completely chocolate dessert.
Opt for a good quality vanilla ice cream for the best flavour and texture.
Select a dark fruit cake for a richer flavour. Ensure the fruit cake is fresh and not overly dry for a better texture in the pudding.
Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly before pouring it over the pudding. This helps in achieving a smooth and even coating and prevents it from sliding off the ice cream.
For a gluten-free option ensure that the fruit cake used is gluten-free or substitute it with a gluten-free alternative.
This is a fantastic make-ahead dessert; the completed pudding will keep in the freezer, covered, for several days before serving. It's a great option if you're short on time on the day of serving. Additionally, it can be prepared in advance at certain stages of freezing. You can make it in the pudding mould and keep it in the freezer for up to a week before turning it out onto a serving plate and topping it with the chocolate.