Christmas Pudding steaming

[barbshap]

How do I steam a Christmas Pudding?

[ursula62]

Remove the cellophane wrapping and take the lid off the pudding basin.  Cover the top of the pudding with greasproof paper, then tinfoil, and tie down the tinfoil with string (a rubber band will snap in the heat).

Put a saucer upside down in the bottom of a large saucepan. Place the pudding basin on the saucer and then pour water gently into the pan until it reaches just under halfway up the pudding basin. Do not overfill as the boiling water may get inside the pudding.

Bring to the boil and then cover the saucepan and reduce the heat until the water is just simmering. Check the water occasionally and top up from a hot kettle if necessary.

The steaming times are usually on the pudding wrapper.

 

Alternatively you can microwave your pudding on medium power. Even large puddings can be done this way. They end up lighter and fluffier than if you steam them. 

[kaz35]

Ummm - don't wish to sound picky, but isn't it a little late to be asking this?  (Or early, depending on how well in advance you like to prepare...)  Happy New Year anyway x (By the way,  the steaming instructions are written on the label that tends to come with the pudding......) xx

[Peter Pedant]

I wondered why you were nt steaming a new year pudding - or perhaps you'd gone to a party and said yum yum so they gave you a year's supply of puddings.

I thought ursula's description a bit wordy, but in fact no step can be missed out and this is what you do.

Think Bain Marie

If you are going to microwave your pudding make sure that there are no lucky coins in it. You do this by x raying it at your local hospital

[barbshap]

i appreciated your prompt response and we followed your instructions to the letter. We had no idea it was going to smell like a brewery! We did serve it on New Year's.

The label had stuck to the cellophane so badly that we had no way to retrieve the instructions...

There were no lucky coins.