How to use up leftover Christmas pudding

Points to remember

• For the leftover Christmas pudding ice cream bombes: Place scoops of ice cream on a tray and refreeze until solid, overnight is ideal.
• Roll a large handful of leftover Christmas pudding between two sheets of baking parchment (not greaseproof paper).
• Place a frozen ice cream ball in the centre and use the paper to encase the pudding around the ball of ice cream – this alone is a great dessert.
• Working quickly, wrap the pudding in layers of lightly buttered filo pastry until completely encased.
• The bombe needs to be deep-fried at 180C until the filo is just crisp – if using a pan of oil, be extra careful and don’t over fill it – you want a deepish saucepan about a third full of sunflower or vegetable oil.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve straight away – one bombe will happily feed two to share.
• For the leftover Christmas pudding truffles: Melt 2 parts dark chocolate to 1 part double cream in a bowl suspended over a pan of gently simmering water. Remove from the heat.
• Crumble in leftover Christmas pudding and add a splash of booze - Cointreau, brandy or whisky would be nice.
• Stir well, then set aside for a few hours, to allow the mixture to set.
• Scoop the mixture into balls, then toss or roll in chopped nuts or cocoa powder.
• For the leftover Christmas pudding cocktail: Start by making the Christmas pudding syrup - place 50g soft brown sugar, 50ml water and 50g leftover Christmas pudding in a saucepan with a cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer. When the sugar has dissolved strain the mixture through a sieve and leave to cool. This syrup is great drizzled over mince pies or ice cream, too!
• To build the cocktail, shake 1 part Christmas pudding syrup with 1 part each of brandy, cherry brandy, rum and whisky in a cocktail shaker with some ice. Strain into a Martini glass and top with fresh clementine juice to your liking.
• Garnish with a cocktail cherry and 2 fresh bay leaves threaded onto a cocktail stick or wooden skewer and dust the whole thing with icing sugar.
• You could also make this with sloe gin, Disaronno or an orange liqueur - or any spirits or liqueurs you might use in a Christmas pud.
• For a non-alcoholic alternative, you could try mixing a little of the Christmas pudding syrup with lime juice and ice then top with ginger beer.

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