Christmas Pudding Trifle

I just love buying all the Christmas Cookery Magazines. It doesn't matter that I probably won't cook even a fraction of the recipes in them, if any . . . but I do love to look at all the different ideas that are presented in them each year.



Our Christmas Lunch stays basically the same each year . . . Roast Turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes, glazed parsnips, Brussels Sprouts, carrots. bacon wrapped chipolatas, cranberry sauce, bread sauce . . . and as if that weren't enough I also like to serve several desserts.



There is always a Christmas Cake and of course Christmas pudding . . . let's not forget the mince pies and I always like to make a Trifle of sorts.



One year a few years back I made a tasty Turkish Delight Trifle. You can find the recipe for that here. It was very lovely . . . sticky and sweet and almost over the top!



I often do a trial run of any new recipe I am hoping to use, ahead of the day just so that I can iron out any problems with a recipe . . . making absolutely sure that it is worthy of a place on my Christmas Lunch menu.



I was greatly intrigued by the Christmas Pudding Trifle recipe in the Nov/Dec issue of Jamie Magazine. (That's one of my favourite cookery mags.) There was a delicious article on using up your Christmas lunch leftovers. Tristan Welch, head chef of Launceston Place had what looked to be a lovely recipe for this interestingly different sounding trifle and I just had to try it.
His was beautifully presented in 200ml canning jars, each one tied up with a pretty red ribbon. I didn't have any canning jars, and I only wanted to make a half recipe for this trial and so I just used some 200ml ramekins with great success.



Without a doubt, hands down . . . this has to be the most delicious Trifle ever! There is just enough Christmas Pudding in it to give you a gentle hint of spicy flavour, without it going over the top. I don't think any die hard Christmas Pudding hater would be assaulted by it in the least . . . don't even tell them it's there. They probably won't even notice what it is, and even if they do, they will forgive you because it is that delicious that they will wonder how they ever got by in life without it thus far!



Imagine a rich custard, baked until slightly wobbly, atop some scrummy Christmas Pudding . . . chilled and then topped with crushed amaretti biscuits, brandy whipped cream, toasted flaked almonds and a few silver balls . . . yes . . . this is heaven.

All conversation will stop . . . amidst the sighs and satisfied drooling noises . . . this is a winner, pure and simple, and it will deffo be gracing my Christmas Lunch buffet! Nothing could be easier or tastier!



*Christmas Pudding Trifle*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious trifle which consists of a lovely rich custard baked over top of some crumbled Christmas pudding until wobbly. Chilled and then covered with amaretti biscuits, brandy cream, flaked almonds and silver balls, this is probably one of the nicest trifles I've ever eaten . . .

300ml of milk (1 1/4 cups)
200ml of double cream (3/4 cup whipping cream)
freshly grated nutmeg
6 large free range egg yolks
70g caster sugar (about 1/3 cup)
Leftover Christmas pudding (It's up to you how much)
12 crisp amaretti biscuits
150ml of double cream (about 2/3 cup), whipped lightly with a dash of brandy
1 TBS Toasted Flaked almonds
Silver balls

Preheat the oven to 110*C/225*F/ gas mark 1/4. Place 6 200ml containers on a baking tray. Crumble some Christmas Pudding into the bottom of each. You can use as much as you want. I crumbled about 1 TBS of the stuff into each container, so that it was about 1/2 inch deep. Set aside.

Heat the milk and double cream together, along with a grating of nutmeg, just to the boil. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Whisk in the heated milk mixture, whisking constantly. Strain this mixture into the prepared pots, dividing it equally amongst them. Grate a little more nutmeg on top. Bake in the heatred oven for 30 to 40 minutes, just until set. The centre should still have a slight wobble. Remove from the oven. Cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

Just before serving, whip the cream softly along with a dash of brandy, or brandy flavouring. Crumble 2 amaretti biscuits over top of each pudding, then top with some whipped brandy cream. Sprinkle some toasted almonds and silver balls over top of each and serve.