Steaming a pudding is pretty simple once you know how. Follow our easy guide for steaming your Christmas pudding or favourite pud in no time.
Learn how to steam a pudding with our step-by-step video, which shows how to line a pudding basin, how to create a pleat and tie it securely before steaming it in a large pan.
Use this method for any of our steamed pudding recipes or your Christmas pudding when the time comes! Steaming a pudding is not as hard as you may think. It’s all about making sure you have the right equipment when it comes to doing it.
What you will need to steam a pudding
- Your steamed pudding mixture ready in a pudding basin
- A sheet of baking paper that’s larger than the pudding basin rim
- A knob of butter, for greasing
- A sheet of foil
- Kitchen string
- A large pan with a lid
- A trivet set, an upturned saucer or a roll of scrunched foil – anything to keep the pudding basin off the base of the pan
Top tips for steaming a pudding
Make sure the waiter is halfway up the side of the bowl when its in the saucepan for steaming. This will make sure your pudding cook properly.
To test if the pudding is cooked insert a skewer, piercing the foil and paper. Wiggle the skewer to make the foil and paper hole a bit bigger than the skewer and pull out. If the skewer comes out clean the pud is coked, if not pop back in and carry on cooking for another 10-20 mins at a time.
You’ll be glad to know that you can’t really overcooked a steamed pudding. We wouldn’t recommend steaming any longer than half hour to an hour after the time suggested on the recipe. The pudding won’t dry out but other ingredients may become spoilt if overcooked.
How to steam a pudding: Step 1
On a sheet of baking paper, cut a circle 5cm larger than your pudding basin. To do this, use a ruler to help you mark a circle of dots from where the centre of the bowl would be then join them up with a pencil.
How to steam a pudding: Step 2
Cut around this shape – it doesn’t matter if it’s not a perfect circle, but the important thing is that it is larger than the pudding basin.
How to steam a pudding: Step 3
Grease the paper circle with a little butter, then make a pleat at the centre by folding the paper in on itself, as shown in the video.
How to steam a pudding: Step 4
Place the paper circle, greased side down, over your pudding to cover the basin.
How to steam a pudding: Step 5
Cover with foil, folding down the sides to keep it in place over the pudding basin.
How to steam a pudding: Step 6
Tie securely with kitchen string.
How to steam a pudding: Step 7
Place a trivet set in a large pan and place your pudding on top – or you could use an upturned saucer at the bottom of the pan, or even scrunched foil.
How to steam a pudding: Step 8
Fill to half way up the side of the basin with boiling water, the cover and steam for 2 hours, or until cooked. Check it occasionally and top it up with more water if necessary.
