Berry ice cream

• carton double cream↗284ml ml
• carton good-quality ready made custard500g g
• golden caster sugar↗100g g
• dark rum↗100ml/3½ fl oz ml/3½ fl oz

  plus 1 tbsp extra

• packet dried berries170g g

  and cherries (or same weight mix of dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries and raisins)

• sugar-frosted bay leavessprigs of

  and little bunches of sugar-frosted red and green grapes, to decorate

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Whip the cream in a big bowl so it is softly whipped, then stir in the custard. Put this in the freezer for about an hour and a half, until it is starting to freeze around the edges.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, put the sugar in a pan with 100ml/3½ fl oz rum. Heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved, tip in the fruits, and simmer gently for one minute to plump up the fruit. Pour everything into a wide bowl (so it cools as quickly as possible), and leave until cold (about an hour). Add the extra tablespoon of rum for a bit more kick.

3. 3

   Stir the cream and custard with a balloon whisk to break it all up, then stir in the cooled fruit. Pour the mixture into a 1.2 litre/ 2 pint pudding basin, cover and freeze overnight until firm (or for up to 1 month).

4. 4

   To serve, dip the basin quickly into boiling water to loosen the pudding, go round the sides with a round-bladed knife, then turn the pudding out onto a serving plate. Decorate with clusters of frosted bay leaves and grapes (see 'how to make the decorations') around the base.