An alternative to traditional Christmas Pudding anyone? This Mulled Wine Christmas Pudding is bursting with spices and citrus Christmas flavours and is topped with a sweet, jammy mulled wine syrup.
Christmas in a bowl! 🎄
Mulled Wine Christmas Pudding Web Story
Like me, do you have family members whose taste buds will simply not tolerate the idea of anything that involves copious amounts of dried fruits? These poor souls do not get to enjoy Christmassy treats such as Christmas pud, Christmas cake, mince pies...very sad...
This is an alien concept to me quite frankly, however, my husband and son live in this desolate Christmas hinterland.
But why should they suffer I hear you say!?! They can’t help it! They need nice Christmas treats too!
Well, this is precisely why I’ve come up with a very Christmassy, citrus and spicy, mulled wine topped, alternative Christmas pudding!
And it’s a real winner! Truly delicious!
Why make this Mulled Wine 🍷 Christmas Pudding?
🤶 it is packed with Christmas citrus and spice flavours;
🎄 it is steamed, just like a traditional Christmas pudding;
🍷 it uses Mulled Wine Syrup to create a jammy mulled wine topping;
🎅 absolute heaven when buddied up with a serving of Proper English Vanilla Custard or a dollop of cream or vanilla ice cream.
I made this Mulled Wine Christmas Pudding for a family meal last weekend and we had it with lots of custard. It was truly divine and everyone loved it. Custard works particularly well with this pudding.
So I hope that you give it a go and take pity this Christmas on those that cannot help themselves, by bringing some Christmas cheer to their table this 25th December 😇😆
Click here for my
Mulled Wine Syrup recipe
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Equipment
2 litre pudding basin (I used a plastic one, but ceramic is fine)
Greaseproof (parchment) paper
Foil
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Kitchen string
Large stockpot or pan big enough to fit your pudding basin in, must also have a lid
Spatula
Zester
Ingredients and Substitutions
Mulled wine syrup: for this follow my Mulled Wine Syrup recipe. However, reduce the syrup further than if making it for mulled wine by simmering for another 10 minutes, so it becomes thicker and jammier.
Golden syrup: just a tablespoon is added to the mulled wine syrup
Orange and lemon: we use all of the zest and juice from both. This ensures a lovely citrus twang throughout our Mulled Wine Christmas Pudding.
Breadcrumbs: traditional in any Christmas pudding. Breadcrumbs were used as a cheaper alternative to pad out the Christmas pudding out in t'olden days. Adding breadcrumbs gives a denser quality to this Mulled Wine Christmas Pudding which gives it its rich texture.
Ground cinnamon, ground cloves and half a grated nutmeg: for lots of Christmas spice. You can use ½ a teaspoon of ground nutmeg if you prefer.
Plain flour: to give the pudding structure.
Baking powder: to help the steamed pudding rise.
Unsalted butter: you can use suet as an alternative to butter and I do indeed use this in my Citrus Jam Roly Poly Spotted Dick Pudding (if you want to try this see Linked Recipes below).
Eggs: to give the whole Christmas steamed sponge pudding structure and a more more cakey crumb.
Instructions
See end of post RECIPE CARD for precise quantities and instructions.
- Before you start, you will need to follow my Mulled Wine Syrup recipe to create your Mulled Wine topping. Follow the recipe as it stands, but simmer for about another 10 minutes to give the syrup a thicker and jammier consistency. Then sieve out the fruit etc and just use the syrup. You will need 5 tablespoons of syrup in total.
- Next, I recommend you weigh everything out in readiness, it just makes life easier and, if you are like me(!), prevents any ingredients from being forgotten.
- Grease your pudding bowl and cut your greaseproof (parchment) paper and foil to size. To do this take a piece of greaseproof paper that is big enough to fit over the top of the pudding bowl and overhang the sides and a larger piece of foil. Place the foil on top of the greaseproof paper and fold both over together to create a pleat down the centre. This allows room for the steam to expand inside the basin whilst cooking. (See the video in Top Tips section for more guidance.)
- Sift your flour, baking powder and spices together and set aside.
- Zest and juice your lemon and orange and set aside.
- Then beat your softened butter and sugar until lighter, softer, fluffier and of an easily spreadable consistency.
- Next, beat your eggs lightly and pour about a third into your beaten butter and sugar mixture, along with a heaped dessertspoonful of your sifted flour mixture.
- Beat on a low setting until fully incorporated, then repeat twice more until all of your egg mixture has been used up.
- Then add in the rest of your flour mixture and beat again until all has been mixed in.
- Add in your fresh breadcrumbs, zest and juices and give everything a beat on low to incorporate.
- Then beat on high for about 10-15 seconds to ensure nicely mixed together.
- As you can see from the picture above, the mixture will curdle a little so don't worry, that's all part of the plan.
- Now you need to mix 2 tablespoons of your delicious mulled wine syrup with a tablespoon of golden syrup and add to your pudding basin.
- Then spoon in your pudding batter on top. Don't worry if it squidges the syrup around the sides of the basin a little.
- Tightly tie your paper/foil lid around the pudding basin with string and then trim the edges so that it only overhangs by about 2 inches below the tie point.
- Then take your stockpot/large pan and pop your prepared pudding inside.
- Fill the pan with just-boiled water so that it comes about half way up the sides of the pudding basin.
- Pop the pan lid on and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Keep checking the water level every 30 minutes or so and top up as necessary with just-boiled water.
- After 2 hours of steady simmering your pudding is ready. Carefully remove it from the pan and leave to cool for about 10 minutes until safe to handle.
- Remove the foil and greaseproof paper and then invert the pudding onto a heatproof plate to serve.
- If serving immediately add your remaining 3 tablespoons of mulled wine syrup to the top of the pudding, letting it trickle down the sides. If you are going to reheat your pudding add the syrup once reheated.
- Serve with lashings of Proper English Vanilla Custard (honestly, this is so easy to make and so much better than the shop-bought stuff). Or serve with vanilla ice cream or cream.
Top Tips
- There are lots of little areas of prep needed for this recipe; to make life easier I recommend your prepare everything before you start.
- This video offers great advice regards how to cover a pudding, steam it and remove it safely from the water when done.
- At the point of serving add your remaining 2 tablespoons mulled wine syrup to your pudding.
Variations
You can replace the Mulled Wine Syrup with jam if you prefer.
Try using the St Dalfour Orange and Ginger Conserve I use in my Citrus Jam Roly Poly Spotted Dick Pudding, it pairs perfectly with the citrus flavour in this Mulled Wine Steamed Pudding.
Storage
This pudding will store well for 5 days if refrigerated and kept in an airtight container. If you made your Mulled Wine Steamed Pudding in a plastic pudding basin, simply press on the lid.
This steamed pudding can be frozen and should be consumed within 2 months.
Did you try this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the Recipe Card below.
FAQ
I recommend still using the greaseproof (parchment) paper and foil lid method when steaming a pudding. Lids are best only used if storing the pudding, to keep it fresh.
Steamed puddings need constant steam to ensure success. Keep the pan topped up with freshly boiled water and ensure it stays at a steady simmer with the lid on, so that the steam is constant.
Linked Recipes
Citrus Jam Roly Poly Spotted Dick Pudding is delicious and the citrus flavours work well for a festive pudding. Or, skip the citrus elements of the recipe and replace the jam with damson jam. It is amazing! Especially with custard!
Making custard is so simple yet it often seems to frighten people. In all honesty, it did me until I started making it again. It literally takes no time and uses REAL egg yolks! Far healthier and the flavour is amazing. Try my Proper English Vanilla Custard and see how easy you find it.
📖 Recipe
Mulled Wine Steamed Christmas Pudding
Here's what you'll need...
- 2 litre pudding basin (plastic or ceramic)
- Large saucepan with lid which will hold your pudding basin, ie steamer or stockpot
- Foil
Ingredients you'll need...
- 5 tablespoon mulled wine syrup (see my Mulled Wine Syrup recipe)
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
- 75 g plain flour (all-purpose flour) (US = ½ Cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ nutmeg grated
- 175 g unsalted butter softened (US = ¾ Cup)
- 175 g light muscovado sugar or use soft, light brown sugar (US = ⅞ Cup packed)
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten (US = extra large)
- 75 g fresh breadcrumbs (US = 1½ Cups)
- 1 orange zest and juice medium sized
- 1 lemon zest and juice medium sized
Here's what we do...
- Your mulled wine syrup needs to be quite thick for this recipe. Make it as per my Mulled Wine Syrup recipe but simmer on a rolling boil for 20 minutes (not 10 as per the recipe) to reduce into a thicker syrup. This method should give you 5 tablespoons of syrup, you will need all of that for this recipe.
- Prepare the lid for your pudding. Cut a piece of greaseproof (parchment) paper that is big enough to fit over the top of the pudding basin and overhang the sides by about 3 inches. Cut a piece of foil that is another 1½ inches bigger all around. Place the foil on top of the greaseproof paper and fold both over together to create a 2 inch pleat down the centre. This allows room for the steam to expand inside the pudding basin whilst cooking. See the video in the Notes section below for guidance.
- Generously grease your pudding basin.
- Sift your flour, baking powder and spices together and set aside.
- Beat your softened butter and sugar until lighter, softer, fluffier and of an easily spreadable consistency. This will take several minutes.
- Pour about a third of your beaten eggs into your butter and sugar mixture, along with a heaped dessertspoonful of your sifted flour mixture.
- Beat on a low setting until fully incorporated, then repeat twice more until all of your egg mixture has been used.
- Then add in the rest of your flour mixture and beat again just until mixed in.
- Add in your fresh breadcrumbs, zest and juices and give everything a beat on low to incorporate.
- Scrape your bowl down with your spatula to ensure all of the batter is mixed in.
- Then turn up to medium-high and beat for about 10-15 seconds to ensure the batter is nicely mixed together. Don't worry about the mixture curdling.
- Mix together your 2 tablespoons of mulled wine syrup with your tablespoon of golden syrup and add to the bottom of your pudding basin.
- Then carefully spoon your Mulled Wine steamed pudding mixture on top. Try to be gentle but don't worry if it squidges the syrup around the sides a bit. Smooth the top so that it is level.
- Tightly tie your greaseproof paper/foil lid around the pudding basin with string and then trim the edges below the string so that the lid overhangs by about 2 inches below the tie point.
- Then take your stockpot/large pan and pop your prepared pudding inside.
- Fill the pan with just-boiled water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.
- Pop the pan lid on and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Keep checking the water level every 30 minutes or so and top up as necessary with freshly just-boiled water.
- After 2 hours of simmering your pudding is ready. Carefully remove it from the pan and leave to cool for about 10 minutes until safe to handle.
- Remove the foil and greaseproof paper and then invert the pudding onto a heatproof plate to serve.
- If serving immediately add your remaining 3 tablespoons of mulled wine syrup to the top of the pudding, letting it trickle down the sides. If you are going to be reheating your pudding add the syrup once reheated.
- Serve with lashings of Proper English Vanilla Custard, vanilla ice cream or cream.
- Merry Christmas! Enjoy! 🎄
Supporting Notes
- There are lots of little areas of prep needed for this recipe, to make life easier I recommend your prepare everything before you start.
- This video offers great advice regards how to cover a pudding, steam it and remove it safely from the water when done.
- At the point of serving add your remaining 2 tablespoons mulled wine syrup to your pudding.
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