Mince-pie kisses

For the ice cream, place the milk in a saucepan over medium heat and slowly bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until light and fluffy. Pour the boiling milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. Pour back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Pass through a sieve into a bowl and set over ice to chill. Churn in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Just before it sets, stir in the mincemeat. If you do not have an ice-cream machine, place in a freezer-proof container and put in the freezer. Stir every 30 minutes to break up any ice crystals. Just before frozen, stir in the mincemeat, then allow to freeze overnight.

For the ganache, bring the cream to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and slowly add the chocolate, whisking continuously. Add the brandy, then the butter, a little at a time, whisking continuously to form a smooth ganache. Allow to cool and set a little.

While the ganache is cooling, use a melon baller to scoop the ice cream into balls. Place in the freezer.

Use a toothpick to dip the frozen ice-cream balls into the ganache to coat completely, then quickly return to the freezer to set.

Once set, roll in the raspberry or pistachio dust. You can also keep some plain. Freeze until ready to serve.