Steaming Christmas Pudding | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

Our answer

Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding (from NIGELLA CHRISTMAS) has a two-stage steaming method. So the larger version of the pudding should be steamed for 5 hours initially, and then 3 hours on the day of serving. We don't particularly recommend removing the pudding from its basin or bowl in between the two steamings as the bowl provides protection and it is difficult to transfer the pudding to a different vessel for the second steaming.

We are not exactly sure what had happened to lead to the conclusion that the pudding is undercooked but it should be safe to store the pudding in a cool, dry place after the first 5 hour steaming. The pudding will not be particularly dark in colour after the first steaming but darkens on the second steaming. If you cooked the pudding in a slow cooker then sometimes the temperature isn't high enough to fully melt the suet and you should do the second steaming in the regular way. You could do the second steaming before sending the pudding, but in this case the pudding should only be reheated one more time so leftovers should be handled carefully.