If you are using an ice cream maker which requires you to pre-freeze the bowl then place in the freezer 24 hours prior to making your custard. The bowl will need at least 24 hours to properly chill.

If you are using an ice cream maker which doesn’t require you to pre-freeze the bowl then position it on a flat work surface ready for churning. These kinds of ice cream makers require 24 hours in the correct position so they churn effectively.

First prepare your ice bath which you’ll need for cooling your custard prior to refrigeration. You will need a large deep casserole dish / crockpot (you could use the sink but I find the casserole dish easier to keep cold as it’s smaller). Fill halfway up with ice then top up with a little cold water.

Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl until thick and creamy then set aside whilst you warm the cream and milk.

Pour the cream and milk into a large saucepan along with the cinnamon stick and salt. Warm the ingredients at a medium heat until it reaches 60-65°C (140-149°F). Remove from the heat.

Temper the egg yolk mixture by pouring the warm cream mixture slowly into the eggs, whisking all the time to produce a thin custard (leave the cinnamon stick in but watch out for it when you’re whisking).

Pour the custard back into the original saucepan and heat to 80°C (176°F), stirring all the time. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and keep at this temperature for 2-4 minutes if you can so you can ensure it’s at a stable temperature. If it starts to increase in temperature remove from the heat.

Remove the custard from the heat. You need to cool it as quickly as possible. You can achieve this by transferring the custard to a food storage bag that you will submerge in your prepared ice water bath. The temperature needs to reduce to 4°C (39°F) within 90 minutes to avoid bacteria forming. It should only take about an hour to get to that temperature so keep checking it with a digital thermometer and replenish the ice every so often to keep it as cold as possible.

Transfer the chilled custard to the fridge to rest for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. You can leave in the ziplock bag or transfer to a jug and place cling film on the surface (this will make it easier to pour into your ice cream machine later).

Crumble the Christmas pudding into 2-3cm pieces and chill.

After its resting period, strain the custard, removing the cinnamon stick. Then pour into your ice cream machine and add the crumbled in the Christmas pudding and pour in the brandy. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you are using the Cusinart Ice Cream & Gelato Professional ICE100BCU then set the timer to 40 minutes. The ice cream is ready when it has thickened considerably and looks like ice cream. It will be the consistency of soft serve immediately after churning but store in the freezer for at least 4 hours to achieve a more scoopable consistency.

Ice cream can be stored in a home freezer for up to 1 month. After about 24 hours in the freezer the ice cream will be quite hard so allow to rest for 10-15 minutes at room temperature before scooping and serving.