Vege Pie versus Plum Pud
3 December 2005
Frank and Beaty, the parental unit, are thrilled! I’ve just organized my annual trip to the home country for a summer chrissie with the family.
A certain Thursday in late November roles around in the northern hemisphere, and I take one bite of pumpkin pie and something odd happens. 
I I start to yearn with the longing of a misty-eyed emigre for familiar, southern hemisphere holiday food - like ice cream plum pudding with brandy sauce!
I mean for God’s sake, what kind of thanks is really being given when canned, sweetened and spiced mashed vege is served up in a pastry case masquerading as dessert? “Thanks pumpkins for being so neutral in flavor that you lend yourself well to à la mode.”
(FYI: non-American readers, “à la mode” on a dessert menu in the U.S. means “with ice cream.” Really, I kid you not!)
Of course all you lovely American girls are now wondering what the blazers is ice cream plum pud. Well just for you, Tildy Bloggers, I’ve had Beaty send me her fave pud recipe to share.
Make it for Chrissie dinner, and serve it up as the southern hemisphere, “à la mode” treat. It’ll be delicious with fruit pie (and pumpkin—if you must). And for the final touch, drizzle Brandy Sauce over the top.
So here goes:
Ice cream Plum Pudding
1 container (approx. 2 pints) of good quality vanilla ice cream
½ cup toasted almond slivers
½ cup chopped red & green maraschino cherries (for the best quality, buy imported ones from either the UK or Australia)
½ cup sultanas (smaller than raisins and lighter in color)
1 cup mixed peel (for the best quality, buy imported peel from either the UK or Australia)
1 tblsp cinnamon
1 tblsp nutmeg
1 tblsp ginger
1 tblsp cocoa powder
½ cup Bailey Irish Cream
½ cup Contreau
Method:
Soak raisins, mixed peel and cherries in Contreau overnight. The following day, soften the ice cream, and empty into large bowl. Add the soaked fruits, toasted nuts, spices, cocoa powder and Bailey’s. Mix well, so that all ingredients are sufficiently blended, then spoon mixture into a container and re-freeze ice cream.
Old fashioned Brandy Sauce
(It’s old fashioned, coz Beaty inherited this recipe from her mum, granny Ethel, and so we’re talking a couple of generations old.)
2/3 cup water
1 rounded tblsp sugar
1 rounded tblsp cornflour
1 ½ oz. brandy
Method:
In a pot mix cornflour and water until smooth. Add, sugar then stir over low heat until thick. Add brandy, continue to stir over heat, but don’t allow to boil. Add water, and or a dash more brandy, if it’s too thick. Serve hot over ice cream plum pud.
