Mulled wine Christmas pudding recipe

Soaking the fruit in half a bottle of mulled wine for several days means this mulled wine Christmas pudding is full of rich, boozy flavour, while decadent vine fruits add a luxurious touch.

Making a Christmas pudding is a time-consuming process and this recipe is no different. The five hours of steaming time (plus extra on Christmas Day) will be well worth it when you tuck into this sumptuous pud. You can use half a bottle of shop-bought mulled wine, or 325ml of your own homemade blend.

Ingredients

• 1kg packet dried vine fruits
• ½ x 750ml bottle mulled wine
• 200g carton glacé cherries, halved
• 250g (8oz) dark muscovado sugar
• 60g (2oz) plain flour
• 150g (5oz) breadcrumbs
• 200g (7oz) packet light chopped suet
• 1 level tbsp ground mixed spice
• 4 medium eggs
• 4 tbsp brandy
• Pinch of baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3-4 tbsp brandy, to flame

You will also need:

• 1.25 litre (2 pint) pudding basin, buttered
• Holly, to decorate (optional)

Method

1. 1. Tip the vine fruits into a bowl and pour over the mulled wine. Leave the mixture for 2-3 days, stirring occasionally, and keeping the bowl covered with cling film.
   2. Add the glacé cherries, sugar, flour, breadcrumbs, suet, mixed spice, beaten eggs, brandy, baking powder and salt. Mix well (and make a wish!).
   3. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin and press it down lightly. Cover bowl with a double thickness of baking parchment with a pleat in it and tie around the rim with string.
   4. Bring water to the boil in the base of a steamer, then place the pudding over it. Cover the steamer, and steam the pudding for 4½-5 hours, making sure that the water doesn’t boil dry.
   5. Remove the pudding from the steamer and leave it to cool. Re-cover the pudding with fresh baking parchment and store it in the fridge for up to 3 months or freeze. If freezing, defrost thoroughly before use.
   On Christmas Day
   1. Steaming is the best way to reheat the pudding, as this keeps it moist. Place pudding in the top of a steamer and steam for 1-2 hours. If you need to delay serving it, turn off the heat below the steamer, but leave the pudding in it to keep it warm.
   2. To flame, tip the pudding out of the bowl on to a warmed serving plate, heat the brandy in a small pan, pour it around the base of the pudding and ignite. Place holly on the pudding, if you like — if it’s real holly cover the end of the sprig with a piece of foil, so that none of the sap goes into the pudding.

Top tips for making this mulled wine Christmas pudding

We used vine fruits from Waitrose, which are large sized dried fruits, but a 1kg packet of ordinary dried mixed fruit will do, too.

You might also like

Figgy pudding

Plum pudding

Gluten-free Christmas pudding

Psst! Did you know that you can make mulled wine in a slow cooker? It's so simple and takes just three quick and easy steps.