*Cranberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Ice Cream Puds*
serves 8

A light little pud chock full of fruit and nuts, served drizzled with a warm white chocolate sauce.

1 vanilla pod
430ml of whole milk (1 3/4 cups)
600ml of double cream (2 1/3 cups)
180g of white eating chocolate, coarsely chopped (6 ounces)
8 large free range egg yolks
165g caster sugar (3/4 cup)
130g dried cranberries (1 cup)
2 TBS brandy
140g unsalted shelled pistachios (1 cup)
2 tsp vegetable oil

Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan.  Add the pod, milk, cream and 50g of the chocolate.  Bring to the boil, then remove from heat.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until thick and creamy.  Gradually whisk into the hot milk mixture.  Stir the custard ove rlow heat without boiling until the mixture thickens slightly.  Cover surface with plastic cling film and cool for 20 minutes.  At the end of that time, strain into a shallow container, such as an aluminium baking tin.  Cover with foil and then freeze until almost firm.

Place the ice cream into a large bowl, chop coarsley and then beat with an electric mixture until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a deep container, cover and freeze again until firm.  Repeat the process two more times.

Place the cranberries into a bowl with the brandy.  Let steep for 15 minutes.  Stir this mixture with the nuts into the ice cream the last time you beat it.  Spoon the ice cream into 8 (180ml/3/4 cup) molds.  Cover and freeze for 3 hours, until firm. 

Stir the remaining chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.

Dip each mold into hot water, one at a time for about a second to loosen.  Turn out onto serving plates.  Drizzle with the warm melted chocolate mixture to serve.