Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz leftover Christmas pudding
• 8 fresh black figs
• cut into quarters
• 250ml/9fl oz Pedro Ximénez sherry
• 250g/9oz mascarpone
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• icing sugar
• to taste
• 150g/5½oz mixed crumbled pecans and toasted flaked almonds
• pinch ground cinnamon
• 100g/3½oz chocolate shavings
• to decorate
• 500ml/18fl oz full-fat milk
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• split in half lengthways
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 50g/1¾oz brown sugar

Directions

• For the trifle
• break up the pudding into the bottom of a large serving dish or individual serving glasses. Top with the quartered figs and splash over the sherry.
• For the custard
• heat the milk
• cream and vanilla in a saucepan until just boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a little. In a bowl
• whisk together the yolks
• cornflour and sugar and then pour the warm milk mixture over (if the milk is too hot the eggs will scramble). Tip back into the pan and whisk over a low heat until thickened. Remove from the heat and strain. Cover the surface of the custard with baking paper to prevent a skin forming and set aside to cool.
• Beat the mascarpone and double cream with the icing sugar
• to taste.
• Spoon the cooled custard over the soaked pudding and then top with the mascarpone cream. Decorate with crumbled pecans
• almonds
• cinnamon and chocolate shavings. Chill until ready to serve.