Informational Articles

How to Steam A Christmas Pudding

As someone from Ireland, I know a thing or two about perfectly Steaming A Christmas Pudding. Let me teach you all my tips!

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Hi Bold Bakers!

It’s that time of year again! The time where we are busy in the kitchen getting Christmas Cake, Christmas Puddings and Mincemeat made so it has ample time to rest and settle before Christmas! In Ireland, my mum like many others would always get these jobs done in October so the cakes and puddings would have time to sit and allow for the flavors to develop. Part of that is the baking of cakes and steaming of puddings.

Steaming a pudding (pudding is cake in Europe) is a very popular method of cooking in Ireland and Britain. Unlike an oven, steaming adds moisture to the cake during the cooking process making it incredibly moist. Unlike in the oven, which uses dry heat. I am a sucker for a steamed pudding because they are just so incredibly moist and flavorful. Also the longer you leave them before eating the better the flavor.

Steaming a pudding is incredibly easy and actually hard to mess up. You don’t need any fancy equipment except for a large pot and a steamer. Failing a steamer tray you can always use an upturned plate in the bottom of your saucepan.

What Equipment Do I Need to Steam a Christmas Pudding

Covering the Christmas pudding and sealing the bowl with aluminum foil.

How to Steam A Christmas Pudding

Once you learn these steps, you’ll never forget them. It’s so easy to make the pudding of your dreams, and you don’t even need to get fancy with it. Here are the steps (and check out the photos for a visual):

  1. Take a large sheet of foil and a piece of buttered greaseproof paper about the same size.
  2. Place a buttered piece of parchment paper over the top of your pudding bowl. Onto that place a piece of foil of a similar size. Press the foil around the bowl. Tie the foil tightly around the bowl using a long piece of string or bakers twine.
  3. Trim away the excess foil and greaseproof paper. Leave about two inches of excess foil around the sides of the bowl. Make sure you totally encase the pudding give it a water-tight seal.
  4. Make a handle for the bowl by threading string around the pudding basin. Pull and tie another piece of string through to create a handle to lift your pudding from.  The pudding is now ready to go into the pan.
  5. Place the pudding into the steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water, or use a large saucepan with a saucer in the bottom.
  6. Steam for several hours, or as the recipe indicates. Top up water roughly every 45 minutes or when necessary.
  7. When the pudding is steamed, cut the string around the bowl. Gently ease away the paper and foil.
  8. Before storing the pudding ready for re-steaming, recover with a fresh sheet of foil and paper as before. Tie a handle around it for ease of removing.

Tips and Tricks on How to Steam A Christmas Pudding

  • If you don’t have a steamer, do not worry, you can use an upturned plate as your trivet to keep the pudding basins from the bottom of the saucepan.
  • If your plate is rattling during the cooking process place a small face cloth underneath the steamer.
  • If you don’t have a traditional pudding bowl don’t worry! Look around your kitchen and see what you could use instead. You will be surprised to see what you already have that can be used, like glass mixing bowls or pyrex dishes.
  • Any strong string or twine will work to tie the pudding.
  • Make sure to continually refill the water with more boiling water so it doesn’t boil off.
  • Make sure that your saucepan is large enough to fit your pudding basin with its lid on.

A side-by-side of covering the Christmas pudding and lowering it into the pot.

Now Make These Pudding Recipes!

And don’t forget to buy my NEW Bigger Bolder Baking Every Day Cookbook!

And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!

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Amy Wong
Amy Wong
2 years ago

Do I have to re-steam the pudding before I eat? I’m gifting it to friends and worried it will be a hassle to re-steam it

Last edited 2 years ago by Amy Wong
Lori L
Lori L
1 year ago

I have a few tips if you’d like to try this but don’t have a steamer. I’ve used a silicone flat rack (sold for pressure cookers or canning.) It’s really cheap–like $15 CAD and easy to store. I often divide this amount of batter (my family recipe is almost identical!) between a medium and a small pudding basin and give the small one to a couple. Unlike a cake, there is no precise timing for steaming puddings. They are very forgiving. For steaming the small pudding, I use the metal screw tops from mason jars–three together makes a great trivet… Read more »

Sherry
Sherry
3 years ago

When I make mine I use an old apple juice can and out it in it I cover it with tin foil I use about 4 layers of tin foil then I put one if those big elastics on it. I out it in a deep pot and fill the water just about a quarter over where I count the rims I. The apale juice tin My husband got me a brick yes a brick new of course and I wrapped it in tinfoil a few times I put that on top of the apple to. So it keeps it… Read more »

Linda
Linda
1 year ago

I cook mine in the pressure cooker half the time of stove top steaming. perfect every time

anne greer
anne greer
2 years ago

Hi: you don’t say how far up the basin you have the water. I checked Mason Cash and they say to put it half way up the basin-any suggestions? Also do you cover the water pot with a lid? thank you for your help.

Lorraine.T
3 years ago

First time to make my own Christmas pudding ever and I loved the way it turned out. Smells just like my moms kitchen during the holidays. I make irish Christmas cakes every year but so excited to have my pudding this year too. Nothing like a taste from home 🥰

Renee Hursh
Renee Hursh
3 years ago

I’m so confused. Christmas Pudding is cake? You store it for months? It doesn’t mold? Resteam it?

Elaine
Elaine
21 days ago

Do you suppose a flan mold with a lid that seals would work the same as the parchment and foil?

Karen
Karen
3 months ago

I wasn’t sure what to do with the lemon after the overnight soak. Do you simply discard the rind? (Thanks in advance for any clarification :-))

Jean
Jean
5 months ago

Can you put these into a crock pot with a trivet with water as long as they are wrapped the same? When we bake in my house, it’s an all week affair and the entire kitchen is a flurry of activity!

This Recipe Made By Bold Bakers

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Lorraine.T

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Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.

 

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