Description
Indulge in this festive Christmas Ice Cream Pudding, a delightful layered dessert combining creamy chocolate and vanilla ice cream with crunchy hazelnuts and chocolate puffed rice cereal. Enhanced with rich chocolate ganache and a touch of Frangelico liqueur, this no-bake frozen pudding is perfect for holiday celebrations and impresses with its luscious textures and sophisticated flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Layers
- 1 quart (1 litre) chocolate ice cream
- 1 quart (1 litre) vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup hazelnuts, blanched, roasted, and coarsely chopped, divided
- 4 tablespoons Frangelico (optional), divided
Chocolate Puffed Rice Layer
- 4 cups chocolate puffed rice cereal (like Cocoa Krispies or Coco Pops)
- ⅓ cup unsalted melted butter
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup pure cream (minimum 35% milk fat)
Decoration
- Chocolate pieces
- Fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Prepare Chocolate Ganache: Place 1½ cups milk chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Bring ½ cup pure cream to a boil, then pour it over the chocolate chips. Let it stand for a few minutes to soften the chocolate. Stir gently until completely melted, using short microwave bursts if needed. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature.
- Chill Pudding Bowl: Line a 3-quart (3 litre) pudding bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to chill thoroughly.
- Prepare Chocolate Ice Cream Layer: Soften the chocolate ice cream by placing it in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes. In a large bowl, quickly mix the softened chocolate ice cream with ½ cup milk chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped hazelnuts, and 2 tablespoons Frangelico if using. Transfer this mixture into the chilled, lined pudding bowl and smooth the surface. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
- Top Chocolate Layer with Ganache: Once the chocolate ice cream layer is firm, spread ½ cup of the prepared chocolate ganache evenly over it and smooth the surface. Return to the freezer.
- Prepare Vanilla Ice Cream Layer: Soften the vanilla ice cream by refrigerating for 30–60 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the softened vanilla ice cream with ½ cup milk chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped hazelnuts, and 2 tablespoons Frangelico if using. Pour this mixture over the ganache layer in the pudding bowl, smoothing the surface. Freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
- Crush Chocolate Puffed Rice Cereal: Place 4 cups chocolate puffed rice cereal in a food processor and pulse until partly crushed, or put cereal in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer crushed cereal into a large bowl and stir in ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter until well combined.
- Assemble Final Layer: Remove the ice cream pudding from the freezer. Evenly spread the buttered crushed cereal on top and press down firmly using the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon. Return the assembled pudding to the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely frozen.
- Serve: When ready to serve, invert the pudding onto a serving plate and peel off the plastic wrap. Pour additional warm chocolate ganache over the pudding if desired and decorate with chocolate pieces and fresh raspberries for an elegant festive presentation.
Notes
- If the ganache thickens too much, warm it gently before pouring over the pudding.
- Frangelico liqueur is optional and can be omitted for a non-alcoholic version.
- Ensure the ice cream is softened but not melted to make mixing easier.
- Pressing the crunchy cereal layer firmly helps it adhere well when frozen.
- For best results, prepare the pudding a day ahead to allow full freezing and flavor melding.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Christmas dessert, Ice Cream Pudding, Holiday recipe, Chocolate dessert, No bake pudding, Festive ice cream dessert
