Christmas is a time for indulgence, warmth, and family gatherings. And what better way to celebrate than with a dessert that combines the cozy flavors of chai with the creamy delight of ice cream? Enter the Chai Ice Cream Christmas Pudding—a gourmet twist on a holiday classic that's perfect for food enthusiasts, health-conscious consumers, and winter drink lovers alike.
In this blog post, we will guide you through creating this delicious pudding from scratch. You'll discover why this dessert is a must-have at your holiday table, how the unique combination of chai spices and ice cream brings warmth and freshness, and why it's a healthier yet decadent option for your festive celebrations.
Ingredients
200g good quality mixed dried fruit
1.5 tbsp Grounded Pleasures Vanilla Extract
250ml full cream milk
50g caster sugar (approx. 4 tbsp)
Grounded Pleasures Seven Spice Chai 60g (approx. 6 tbsp)
250ml pouring cream
1 tsp canola oil, plus extra for greasing
120g milk chocolate
White currants (or similar), for decoration
Directions
Roughly chop any larger pieces of dried fruit and place all dried fruit in a small bowl. Cover with the vanilla extract and leave to soak while you get the ice cream ready.
Very lightly grease a metal pudding basin/bowl (1.5-2 litre capacity), then line with two layers of plastic wrap.
In a large bowl, place the milk, sugar and Grounded Pleasures Seven Spice Sri Lankan Chai. Whisk using a handheld mixer until the milk is frothy and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the cream and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. It will look like softly whipped cream once done.
Churn ice cream in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. I find this ice cream only takes a few minutes to churn, as it has already thickened during the prior whisking. It will be ready when the ice cream appears to have thickened a little more and frozen and is clinging to the ice cream machine paddle.
Remove the ice cream bowl from the machine, and carefully fold in the soaked mixed fruit, along with any extra vanilla left in the bowl.
Transfer the ice cream to the prepared pudding tin, and gently push down and even out the top. Use any overhanging plastic wrap to cover the top. Freeze, allowing the pudding tin to sit straight, overnight.
Remove ice cream pudding from pudding bowl onto a flat serving plate, place back into the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate, either in the microwave or over a double boiler on the stove. Stir in the canola oil when the chocolate is almost completely melted. Stir to combine and allow any remaining chocolate to melt completely.
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and quickly drizzle over the melted chocolate, allowing it to run down the sides.
Decorate with white currants (or something similar) and serve immediately.
Makes approx. 850ml ice cream.
