Christmas Puddinis

Are you having a Christmas Party with your loved ones? Do you need something totally munchy, shiny and impressingly pretty to top it off? How about these little jewels? It is a little simpler and more chocolaty version of a recipe by my most adored Nigella Lawson, who does these with the typical English Christmas Cake. Did I already mention that I am obsessed with Nigella? Like about twenty times? Good. Than I think you get the point. Anyway, Christmas Parties, hit me! I am all prepared!

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Cake:
400g white caster sugar
220ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
220ml full fat milk
a pinch of salt
220g plain white flour
2tsp. baking powder
85g unsweetened cocoa
2tsp. vanilla extract
220ml recently boiled, hot water

Puddini magic:
220g cream cheese
222g icing sugar

Decoration:
White chocolate
candied cherries and peel

You start by making a Chocolate Cake (also very nice for layer cakes by the way). Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or with a mixer. Super easy! This is a VERY runny batter, so don’t be alarmed about that, it is going to rise and bake just fine! Put in a hot oven for 30 to 35 minutes at 175°C. Take out and let cool completely. 

Mix up the cream cheese and icing sugar. You could also add a little spice to that, if you like, some cinnamon or vanilla, a small splash of rum?! Also, mix the icing sugar in in parts and have a taste, it does have to be overtly sweet, just plain sweet. Now crumble up the cake and knead the cream cheese mixture in, with your hands, until it becomes a formable non-sticky dough! Form into little balls and let them cool a little. Now melt the chocolate and start decorating anyway you like. I thought mine looked major Christmassy. I think my girlfriends didn’t care so much for the décor and more for the how many are there and how much do I get to eat before dinner part. Oh what a jolly Christmas!