Gloriously festive, this ice cream honey bombe is the perfect Christmassy pudding. The ice cream, or parfait, is easy to make and produces a soft aerated dessert. Whipped cream and a honey-based meringue are folded together with crunchy toasted nuts and sweet, sherry-soaked, fruits. The result keeps to the traditional flavours of a rich Christmas pudding but is a lighter end to the meal.

Servings:  Makes enough for 8 people                         

Preparation:   Day 1 - soak the fruit (24 hours), Day 2 - 30 min preparation + freezing, Day 3 - 10 min for decoration 

Ingredients
50g        Sultanas
50g        Currants
50g        Dried sour cherries or cranberries
50g        Dried citrus peel, chopped
100ml    Sherry (or other spirit)
60g        Whole skin-on almonds
60g        Pistachios
100g      Egg whites (3 medium eggs)
100g      Honey
400ml    Double cream
100g     Dark chocolate
Nuts, cherries, bay leaves or gold dust to decorate 

Tip:  Reserve a few sherry-soaked cherries or cranberries for decoration in place of glace cherries

Method

1. Soak the dried fruit and peel in sherry, whiskey, rum or another spirit for at least a day, stirring occasionally. 
   
   
2. Line a 1-litre/2-lb capacity pudding basin or bowl with parchment paper. I used a large disk with overlapping slits to fit the shape of the bowl. If you use separate pieces of parchment, use at least one long strip running from the edges to the base of the bowl so that you’ll be able to ease the pudding out. 
   
   
3. Preheat your oven to 180^oC fan (200^oC) and toast the nuts until they take on a light brown shade. The almonds should take 8–10 minutes and the pistachios around 5 minutes. Allow to cool.   
   
   
4. Make the honey meringue by whisking half of the honey (50g) with the egg whites using a hand or stand mixer. Whisk until you reach the soft peak stage –when you pull the whisk out and see a gently folding peak that holds its shape.
   
   
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks, being careful not to overwhip this or the resulting mixture will be lumpy.
   
   
6. Gently fold the cream and meringue together until the texture is even and then fold through the nuts and fruit.
   
   
7. Add a quarter of the mixture to the base of the prepared bowl, spreading it evenly and then drizzle about 1 tablespoon (15g) of honey over the this. Repeat this twice more and finish off with the remaining whipped mixture. Level the top and freeze until set firm (overnight). 
   
   
8. Just before serving, take the pudding out of the freezer to stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of gently simmering water (ensure the water level is below the base of the bowl or the chocolate will overheat).
   
   
9. Gently ease the pudding from the mould by pulling on the parchment paper and flip it onto your serving plate. Decorate with melted chocolate, nuts, cherries, bay leaves and edible gold dust (if you have some). The melted chocolate will set quickly over the frozen dessert so pour it quickly while it is still reasonably warm and add any decorations before it sets.