Ingredients

• 200g/7oz Christmas pudding
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 50g/1¾oz marzipan
• chopped into small pieces
• 400g/14oz vanilla ice cream
• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 2 tsp almond essence
• 3 medium free-range eggs
• 150g/5½oz self-raising flour
• 1 tbsp full-fat milk
• 4 x 10cm/4in discs marzipan
• 300ml/10fl oz milk
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 100ml/3½fl oz brandy
• 1 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
• 20g/¾oz butter

Directions

• For the Christmas pudding ice cream
• mash up the Christmas pudding
• then add the brandy
• chopped marzipan and mix. Stir in the ice cream and return to the freezer to set.
• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3.
• For the almond puddings
• cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the almond essence
• then stir in the eggs one by one (add a little flour if the mixture starts to curdle). When the eggs are combined stir in the rest of the flour. Stir in the milk
• if necessary
• to make a soft dropping consistency.
• Grease 4 individual pudding moulds and place a circle of baking paper in the bottom of each. Press a disc of marzipan into the bottom of each mould. Spoon or pipe the pudding mixture into the moulds
• leaving room for them to rise. Tap to remove any air pockets.
• Place the moulds in a deep roasting dish and add enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 25 minutes
• or until springy to the touch. Leave to cool a little in the moulds.
• Meanwhile
• make the brandy butter sauce. Put the milk and the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil and stir in the brandy.
• Mix the cornflour or arrowroot with 50ml/2fl oz cold water to make a milky solution free of lumps. Pour the mixture into the hot milk. Whisking all the time
• simmer for 5 minutes to cook out the cornflour (do not boil or it will break down the cornflour
• though arrowroot will be fine).
• Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir. If any lumps have appeared
• strain the sauce. Whisk in the butter and keep warm until ready to serve.
• To serve
• turn the puddings out onto serving plates. Add a scoop or two of ice cream and finish with the sauce.