The perfect tipple with your favourite dessert – is there anything that hits the spot more? There are plenty of differing textures, flavours and of course, a lot of sweetness at play with British puddings and desserts, so a sip of the wrong drink can easily clash.
Of course, the right drink and every part of the experience can be enhanced. We’ve listed some of the drinks that work best with classic British puddings below, and as a general rule, you want your drink to be sweeter than the other dishes – especially when it comes to wine.
There are lots of other factors at play though, so scan for your favourite dessert in bold below and see what takes it to that next level.
White Wine
Riesling
We’re looking for two things – sweetness, and acidity, so that the wine doesn’t taste bitter, and so that there’s no overbearing cloying sweetness. Riesling is the most versatile food-friendly wine, and for any plain cheesecakes, it’s spot on. Also, lemon drizzle is a tough one to match with the central flavour being so bold, but a sweet Riesling works well. Lastly, if it’s a dryer Riesling with lots of citrus and green apple notes, then it will be able to slice into the sweetness of an apple crumble without clashing. This Dr. Loosen Riesling is from the Mosel Valley, which produce sweeter expressions. It also has pronounced fruits so it’s ideal.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 8.5%
Find here: £8.20
DESSERT WINE
Muscat
Muscats provided a lovely golden sweetness, slight florality and spice, as well as a lot of fruits. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you get sip on Muscat with chocolate cake and other sweet chocolate puddings. The same goes for Bakewell tart and bread and butter pudding, which, if you’re a fan of the sweetness, you can pair with Muscat – though this might be a little too much for some. This Italian sweety is a good place to start.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £10
Fortified Wine
Madeira
During its production process, Maderia wine is heated so there’s plenty of stewed fruits and burnt sugar notes, as well as nutty flavours. In fact, the nose often smells of fruit cake, so they make a heavenly couple. It’s also usually highly acidic. Madeira generally works well with chocolate cheesecake, and particularly if there are any nuts involved too. It’ll also take on the intense rich sweetness of sticky toffee pudding for a dreamy marriage of indulgence. This one from Blandy’s is full-on and fruity.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 19%
Find here: £14.99
Port
Tawny Port in particular is a great way to go, full to the brim with red and black fruits and like Maderia, those nutty flavours. It’s not as acidic as Madeira, but there’s still enough to cut through. Tawny Port provides a somewhat drier option for luxurious dark chocolate desserts, toffee/caramel cheesecakes, and sticky toffee pudding. Tawny Ports over 20 years old are also known to be complimentary with coffee cake, when the nutty nuances have really developed. This Kopke Tawny is lovely and rich, with velvety smoothness enriching any creaminess.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 19.5%
Find here: £14.99
SPARKLING WINE
Moscato d’Asti
Sparkling Moscato tend to be low in alcohol and higher in sweeter than Prosecco, so pair well with a few desserts. Most trifles in the classic format will go nicely, with the bubbles breaking up any heavy custard and cream. Moscato d’Asti is also a good choice for lighter, spongier cakes without loads of intense flavours – so almond cakes, pound cakes and Victoria sponge.
Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £8.99
Cocktails
Kir Royale
A nice strawberry or raspberry liqueur topped up with Champagne works a treat for berry and meringue desserts – think Eton mess and pavlova. The cassis is an obvious dream pairing for the berries, complementing the flavour and sweetness, and the Champagne provides a pleasant acidic crunch, with those bubbles refreshing the palate.
Beer & Cider
Fruit Flavoured Beers like Belgian Fruli, Kriek, and Frambozen
Raspberry or cherry beers are plentiful in the Belgian style, and pair nicely with any berry cheesecakes. Also, if you’re enjoying a chocolate pudding on the lighter side, these kinds of beers go surprisingly well, particularly if those fruits are in it of course. You could also look to these beers for Bakewell tart and cherry trifles because they have a refreshing tartness that both matches and offsets the sweetness simultaneously.
Size: 250ml
ABV: 3.5%
Find here: £2.05
Apple Cider
You can probably tell where this is going. Part of the cider resurgence has been down to their sweetness, which makes them perfect for apple desserts – especially traditional apple pies and apple crumbles. Make sure it’s a bubbly cider, and the fizz and crispness marry the warm richness of the crumble deliciously.
Size: 500ml
ABV: 6.8%
Find here: £2.50
We’ve got a few pairings guides up on the site now, so for more sweet options specific to pancakes go here!