Christmas pudding samosas- no.1 Christmas Day treat!
Want to impress your guests this Christmas with a delicious dessert that looks wonderfully fancy and elaborate, but is secretly super duper easy to make? These Christmas pudding samosas with whisky custard are just the thing! They're a fun, festive twist on a classic favourite, combining the rich, warming flavours of traditional Christmas pudding with crisp, golden, flaky pastry for a truly indulgent after-dinner treat.
If you're looking for something a little different to serve up after your Christmas dinner, these inventive little parcels are guaranteed to catch everyone's attention. They're also a brilliant way to use up any leftover Christmas pudding once the big day is over, giving those festive leftovers a whole new lease of life rather than letting them go to waste. Simply wrap your crumbled Christmas pudding in pastry, fry until beautifully crisp and golden, and serve with a generous helping of creamy, luxurious whisky custard for dipping.
The combination of crunchy pastry, soft, rich Christmas pudding filling and smooth custard with a warming hint of whisky makes every bite feel extra special. They're perfect for sharing around the table, serving up at a festive gathering or enjoying as a cosy Boxing Day treat.
Best of all, these Christmas pudding samosas are surprisingly straightforward to prepare and take just 10 to 30 minutes to cook. However, don't leave everything until the last minute, as the samosas need up to an hour of chilling time before cooking to help them hold their shape. A little preparation beforehand means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the festivities with your guests.
Serves: 4–6
Cooking time: 10–30 minutes
Chilling time: Up to 1 hour
Christmas pudding samosas- ingredient list!
Ingreidents for the pudding samosas-
500g/1lb 2oz plain flour
20 grams per ounce of cocoa powder
175 ml/6 fl oz rapeseed oil and 1 tsp salt
200g/7oz of leftover Christmas pudding, a dash of whisky, one egg, whipped vegetable oil and icing sugar for deep-frying
Ingredients for the whisky custard-
600ml/20fl oz whole milk and 200ml/7fl oz double cream
Four huge yolks of free-range eggs
3 tablespoons cornflour
100g/3½oz of caster sugar
One teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ grated nutmeg
Whisky (100ml/3½fl oz), plus more to taste
Christmas pudding samosas- step by step instruction guide!
Step 1
To make the samosa pastry, begin by sieving the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a large mixing bowl, making sure everything is evenly combined and free of any lumps. Using your fingertips, gently rub the oil into the dry ingredients until the mixture starts to resemble fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add a small amount of warm water, mixing as you go, until the ingredients come together to form a soft, manageable dough. Be careful not to add too much water at once, as you want the dough to be firm enough to roll out without becoming too sticky. Once the mixture has come together, use your hands to shape it into a smooth ball. Wrap the dough securely in cling film and place it in the fridge to chill for around one hour. This resting time will help the dough firm up, making it much easier to roll out and shape when you're ready to assemble your Christmas pudding samosas.
Step 2
In the meantime, dissolve the Christmas pudding in a basin with a little whisky. Stay to one side. After resting, shape the samosa dough into four to six balls that are slightly larger than golf balls. Then, roll each ball out into a circle that is around 15 cm/6 in diameter and 1.5 mm thick. Fold the circular into a cone form after brushing the edges with some beaten egg. Press the open edge of the samosa shut after adding a spoonful of the Christmas pudding filling. Continue until all of the filling has been consumed.
Step 3
Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 170°C. If you don't have a fryer, pour vegetable oil into a deep saucepan until it is about half full and heat carefully. To check the temperature, drop in a small cube of bread – it should sizzle and turn golden brown in around 30 seconds. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous, so never leave it unattended.) Fry the samosas in small batches for 4–5 minutes, turning a lovely deep golden-brown colour and becoming crisp all over. Use a slotted spoon to carefully lift them out of the oil, then place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Step 4
To prepare the whisky custard, pour the cream and milk into a large saucepan and warm gently over a low heat until it is steaming and just about to boil, taking care not to let it boil. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks, cornflour, sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg and whisky to a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Slowly pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the bowl, whisking continuously as you go to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
Step 5
Once combined, transfer the custard mixture into a clean saucepan and place over a gentle heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard gradually thickens and becomes lovely and silky. Give it a taste and, if you fancy a stronger whisky flavour, stir in a little extra whisky to suit your preference. Serve warm alongside your crispy Christmas pudding samosas for the perfect festive finishing touch.
Recipe tip: Make sure you allow the pastry enough time to chill in the fridge before rolling it out, as this will make it easier to handle and help the samosas keep their shape when frying. If the dough feels a little sticky, lightly dust your work surface with flour.
Recipe tip: For extra crispy, golden samosas, avoid overcrowding the fryer or saucepan when cooking. Fry them in small batches so the oil temperature stays consistent and each pastry parcel has plenty of room to cook evenly.
