New Zealand is well known for its love of dairy products and ice cream in particular. As Christmas is celebrated in Summer in the land of the long white cloud ice cream is often featured at the Christmas dessert table alongside the nation's famous Pavlova. Variations of this fruit studded ice cream pudding often replace the traditional boiled or steamed Christmas pudding.

• Ice Cream Christmas pudding
•  
• ¼ cup of dried cherries, chopped
• ½ cup of dried cranberries
• ½ cup of dried blueberries
• ¼ cup of Cherry brandy or Grand Marnier
• ½ cup of pistachios
• ½ cup of slivered almonds
• 2 litres of French vanilla ice cream, softened slightly
• 150 grams of dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1. Soak the dried fruit with the cherry brandy for several hours or overnight.
2. In a large bowl fold through the soaked dried fruit, pistachios and almonds with the French vanilla ice cream.
3. Place the ice cream mixture into 6 to 8 plastic wrap lined moulds, small teacups or one large pudding basin and return to the freezer for 4 to 6 hours until completely set.
4. When ready to serve release the pudding/s on to chilled serving plates and return to the freezer briefly while you melt the chocolate and coconut oil together.
5. Spoon over a little of the melted chocolate mixture onto each pudding to form a hard chocolate "magic shell"
6. Decorate or garnish as desired with extra dried fruit and nuts and serve immediately.
7. Serves 6 to 8