The Ultimate Festive Dessert

ICE CREAM PANETTONE WITH CHRISTMAS FRUIT MINCE AND BERRIES

This dessert is pure "Christmas" on a plate. What I love most about it is the incredible wow factor without the exhaustion. You can pre-prepare all of the elements and then simply assemble before serving. The trickiest part of this recipe? Getting the sparklers lit simultaneously.   

If you feel that making your own Christmas fruit mince is too labour-intensive, then feel free to use a high-quality store-bought version instead.

If you have time, though then I’d encourage you to make your own fruit mince. It features two of my favourite ingredients—fresh cherries and dried figs! I couldn’t love it more. You will also notice I’ve included black pepper in the mixture. Black pepper is not traditional, but it subtly enhances the flavour profile of the fruit mince . The pepper adds a gentle warmth and complexity that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the dried fruits and the spices. Just be sure to grind it very finely.

To present this dessert in style, you'll need a cake stand or another stunning display piece—like the large Rialheim Osmosis Fruit Bowl that I flipped upside down for this presentation. Remember, the edible gold leaf and sparklers give this presentation its festive "wow" factor, so don’t skimp on these!

For the Fruit Mince with Fig & Cherry

1x Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and grated

1x pear, peeled, cored and grated

250g Safari dried fruit cake mix

100g dried figs

300g fresh cherries

zest and juice of one orange

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp (30ml) brandy

½ tsp nutmeg, ground

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp cinnamon

1tsp ginger

½ tsp cloves

2 cups of light brown sugar

½ tsp black pepper, very finely ground – I use a pestle & mortar to grind the fresh peppercorns to ensure that they are really, really fine

½ cup water (if required)

For the ice cream panettone

1 panettone (700g – I use this one from Babylonstoren)

300g vanilla ice cream

To serve

2 handfuls of mixed berries and fresh cherries

edible gold leaf

1-3 gold sparklers and a butane lighter (I do not recommend matches for this)

extra ice cream of cream (optional)

icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Method – Fruit Mince

1. Prepare the fruit: pit and halve the cherries, chop the dried figs into small pieces. Peel, core and grate the pear and apple.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the grated apple and pear, dried fruit cake mix, chopped figs, cherries, orange zest, and orange juice. Mix it all together. Then stir in the vanilla extract, brandy, ground spices (nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black pepper), and the brown sugar.

1. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and allow to gently simmer, uncovered, for about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture looks too dry during cooking, add a little water (up to ½ cup). You are looking for a sticky consistency.
2. Cool and store: Once the mixture has thickened, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely. Transfer the cold fruit mince to sterilized jars and store in the fridge for up to two weeks or use immediately to serve with your ice cream stuffed panettone or fill your Christmas mince pies.

 

Method – Ice Cream Stuffed Panettone

1. Prepare the Panettone: Remove the panettone from all packaging, including the paper wrapper around it.
2. Create a Cavity: Using a bread knife, slice off the top part of the panettone (the dome-shaped "muffin top"). Hollow out the middle of the panettone, leaving a 2–3 cm border around the sides. Take care not to pierce the bottom.
3. Stuff the Panettone: Fill the hollowed-out centre with vanilla ice cream, packing it in gently but firmly.
4. Seal and Freeze: Replace the top and then wrap it tightly in a double layer of cling wrap. Freeze for at least one hour or overnight until ready to serve.

Method - Assembling Your Dessert

1. Remove the panettone from the freezer and unwrap it. Place it on your serving dish. If using icing sugar, sprinkle it over the panettone now.
2. Top the panettone with fresh berries and apply small pieces of edible gold leaf and 1-5 sparklers.
3. Serve: Slice the panettone into thin wedges. Serve each ice cream-filled slice with a spoonful of your Christmas fruit mince and a few extra berries. For an indulgent touch, add additional fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Cooks Notes:

• I do not include butter or suet in this fruit mince recipe because I feel that it accommodates vegans better this way. Plus, I mostly serve it cold. I think the recipe works well enough as it is.
• Do not cover the fruit mixture when you let it cook. Leaving it uncovered allows the mixture to simmer and thicken as the liquid reduces. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot or burn. Cooking uncovered helps concentrate the flavours, making the filling rich and aromatic.

More about Yolandi North (Friend of Rialheim)

Yolandi North, a Johannesburg-based content creator and recipe developer, has always had a passion for food, creativity, and storytelling. As a child, she was constantly planning the next big event, dreaming up recipes, setting the scene, and crafting pretend articles for her imaginary magazine or school newspaper.

Those magical childhood passions have since evolved into a career filled with food, beautifully designed spaces, and the stories that bring them to life. Explore Yolandi’s work at A Zesty Life or follow her on Instagram at @azestylife.