Christmas puddings for the time-poor

Creme anglaise

Makes 1½ cups, prep and cook time 10 minutes (plus standing time)

1½ cups Farmdale Milk

1/3 cup Merryfield Caster Sugar

1 Stonemill Vanilla Bean, split lengthways

4 Farm Pride Egg yolks

1 tablespoon Baroque Brandy

1.In a medium saucepan, combine milk, 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla bean. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Strain.

2.In a heat-resistant bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining sugar together. Whisk milk mixture into egg mixture.

3.Place bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water – make sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Whisk over a low heat until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.

4.Strain mixture and cover surface with plastic wrap. Serve warm or chill until required. Before serving, whisk in brandy.

Serve with: ALDI Specially Selected 12 month Matured Christmas Pudding.

Raspberry and nougat ice-cream pudding

Serves 8-10, prep and cook time 45 minutes (plus cooling and freezing time).

1 cup (250ml) water

1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

300g frozen raspberries

1 litre good-quality vanilla ice-cream

100g good-quality white chocolate, chopped finely

150g firm almond nougat, chopped finely

100g frozen raspberries, extra

¼ teaspoon Copha, melted

100g white chocolate, extra, melted

125g fresh raspberries, to serve

1.Lightly oil a 2-litre (8-cup) pudding basin; line with two layers of plastic wrap.

2.Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan; stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil. Boil, uncovered, for 3 minutes, then remove

from the heat. Cool.

3.Process the frozen raspberries with the cooled syrup until it forms a smooth sorbet. Spoon the sorbet into the prepared pudding basin and press down with the back of a spoon to smooth the surface and ensure the sorbet is level. Freeze for at least 2 hours or until the sorbet is firm before adding the second layer.

4.Spoon the ice-cream into a large bowl and allow to soften slightly. Add the chocolate

and nougat, then crumble the extra frozen raspberries over the top; stir until just combined. Spoon the ice-cream mixture over the sorbet in the pudding basin, pressing down to ensure the ice-cream fills all the spaces. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

5.To serve, turn the ice-cream out on to a chilled serving plate (wipe the basin over with a warm cloth if needed) and remove plastic wrap.

6.Combine the Copha and the extra melted chocolate in a jug. Pour over pudding. Serve with fresh raspberries. Suitable to freeze.

Summer Puddings

Makes 8, prep and cook time 30 minutes (plus refrigeration time)

500g raspberries

375g blueberries

500g blackberries

250g strawberries, quartered

2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

1/2 cup (125ml water)

22 slices white sandwich bread

1/2 cup (160g) berry jam

Thick cream and fresh berries, extra to serve

1.Combine the berries, sugar and water in a large saucepan; stir over low heat until berries are softened. Strain berries over large bowl; reserve syrup.

2.Using a circle cutter, cut eight large rounds and eight small rounds of bread to fit the size of the tops and bottoms of cups. Remove the crusts from remaining slices of bread and cut each slice into three strips.

3.Brush one side of the smaller circles with syrup and place on the bottoms of each cup, syrup-side down. Brush one side of each strip with syrup. Place eight bread strips in each cup, syrup-side down, overlapping slightly. Trim bread strips to fit.

4.Spoon the berry mixture into each cup. Arrange the large bread rounds over the top of the berries and cover with plastic wrap. Place a small jar (or other weights) on top of each pudding to weigh them down; refrigerate overnight.

5.Place the remaining syrup and the jam in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the syrup has thickened slightly; cool. Refrigerate until required.

6.Brush bases of puddings with syrup, if required. Turn puddings onto serving plates and brush with the syrup. Serve with remaining syrup, double thick cream and extra fresh berries, if desired.

The Weekly’s Microwave Christmas Pudding

Serves 6, prep and cook time 50 minutes (makes 3½ cups (875ml) brandy sauce)

125g butter

¾ cup (150g) firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons golden syrup

1¼ cups (250g) dried mixed fruit

½ cup (110g) canned pie apples

¾ cup (110g) plain flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 cup (70g) stale breadcrumbs

¼ cup (60ml) sweet sherry

Brandy cream sauce:

300ml thickened cream

¼ cup (60ml) brandy

2 eggs, separated

½ cup (110g) caster sugar

1.Brandy cream sauce: Beat cream and brandy in medium bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat egg and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Fold egg mixture into cream mixture.

2.Grease 6 x 1 cup (250ml) capacity microwave-safe bowls.

3.Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions; beat in golden syrup.

4.Stir in fruit, pie apples, sifted flour and spice, breadcrumbs and sherry. Divide mixture between prepared bowls. Cook, uncovered, on LOW (30% power) for about 30 minutes or until cooked when a wooden skewer comes out clean. Turn out onto serving plate. Serve immediately with brandy cream sauce.

Test kitchen tips: This pudding can be made a week ahead. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for a week, or in the freezer for 2 months. Brandy cream sauce can be made a day ahead, cover, refrigerate. If you would like the pudding to achieve a richer, darker colour add one or two teaspoons of Parisian essence when adding the golden syrup.

Christmas Cakes and Puddings from www.womensweeklycookbooks.com.au

Extra Christmas cake? We’ve got a dessert for that: Pantry Christmas cake trifle.