Steaming Delicious: The Art Of Making Steamed Pudding

Steamed pudding is a traditional British dessert that is easy to make and perfect for cold winter months. It is essentially cake batter that is steamed, resulting in a moist and flavourful treat. The pudding is typically prepared in a basin, covered with baking paper and foil, and steamed in a large pot of boiling water for around 1.5-2.5 hours. The basic ingredients include butter, sugar, flour, and milk, but various recipes offer different flavour profiles, such as treacle, chocolate, and fruit. The pudding is often served hot with custard, cream, or ice cream, and can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

How to steam a pudding in the oven

Steaming a pudding in the oven is a great way to enjoy a classic dessert. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create a delicious steamed pudding:

Prepare Your Ingredients and Pudding Basin

Start by gathering your ingredients, which typically include butter, sugar, flour, and flavourings like lemon rind, marmalade, or golden syrup. You will also need a pudding basin, which is a heat-resistant bowl, and some baking paper and foil. Grease your pudding basin generously with butter to prevent the pudding from sticking.

Make the Pudding Mixture

The exact process for making the pudding mixture will vary depending on the recipe you are following. However, in general, you will need to combine the dry ingredients, such as flour, sugar, and spices, in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, such as butter, milk, eggs, and flavourings. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine until you have a smooth batter.

Prepare the Steamer

To steam your pudding, you will need a large pot or saucepan with a lid. Place a trivet or upturned saucer/plate at the bottom of the pot to act as a stand for your pudding basin. Pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the basin.

Steam the Pudding

Cover the pudding basin with a lid made of baking paper and foil, secured with string. Place the basin on the trivet/upturned saucer in the pot. Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Let the pudding steam for the recommended time, which can range from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the recipe. Remember to top up the water in the pot if it gets too low.

Check for Doneness and Serve

To check if your pudding is cooked, insert a skewer through the foil and baking paper lid into the centre of the pudding. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, it's done. If there is still wet batter on the skewer, return the pudding to the steamer for another 15-20 minutes and check again. Once cooked, remove the pudding from the steamer, uncover, and turn it out onto a plate. Serve your steamed pudding warm with custard, cream, or ice cream, depending on your preference.

How to steam a pudding on the hob

Steaming a pudding is a great way to keep the dessert moist. Here is a step-by-step guide to steaming a pudding on the hob:

Preparation:

Firstly, you will need to gather the right equipment. You will need a sheet of baking paper, a large pan with a lid, and a trivet set, an upturned saucer, or a roll of scrunched foil.

Now, cut a circle on the baking paper that is about 5 cm larger than your pudding basin. Grease the paper circle with butter, then make a pleat at the centre by folding the paper in on itself.

Steaming:

Place the paper circle, greased side down, over your pudding basin. Cover with foil, folding down the sides to keep it in place over the basin. Secure it with kitchen string.

Place a trivet set in a large pan and place your pudding on top. If you don't have a trivet set, you can use an upturned saucer at the bottom of the pan, or even scrunched foil.

Fill the pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pan and place it on a medium heat. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and leave to steam. For a small sponge pudding, steam for under 2 hours; for a Christmas pudding, steam for 2-5 hours.

Check the water level occasionally and top it up with more boiling water if necessary.

Testing:

To test if the pudding is cooked, insert a skewer, piercing the foil and paper. Wiggle the skewer to make the hole a bit bigger and pull it out. If the skewer comes out clean, the pudding is cooked. If not, put it back and steam for another 10-20 minutes.

Serving:

Once cooked, uncover and turn the pudding onto a plate. Serve straight away with custard, if you like.

What ingredients you need to make a steamed pudding

To make a steamed pudding, you'll need a few key ingredients for the pudding itself, as well as some additional items for the steaming process. Here's a detailed list of what you'll need:

Ingredients for the Pudding:

• Butter: Use unsalted butter, softened, for the best results. You'll need it for greasing the basin and in the batter.
• Sugar: Caster sugar is a common choice for steamed puddings.
• Eggs: These will help bind the ingredients and provide structure to your pudding.
• Milk: Warm milk is often used, and whole milk is recommended for a richer, more indulgent pudding.
• Flour: Self-raising flour is a popular choice, but you can also use all-purpose flour.
• Flavourings: This can vary depending on your preference. Some popular options include lemon or orange zest, vanilla extract, golden syrup, marmalade, or jam.

Additional Items for Steaming:

• Pudding basin: Choose a heat-resistant basin made of porcelain or glass, with a capacity of around 1-litre or 4-cups.
• Mixing bowls and utensils: You'll need bowls for mixing dry and wet ingredients separately, as well as a spatula or whisk for combining them.
• Baking paper and foil: These are essential for covering the pudding basin during steaming.
• String: Unwaxed kitchen string is used to secure the baking paper and foil to the basin.
• Steamer or large saucepan: If you have a steamer, great! If not, you can use a large saucepan with an upturned saucer or plate at the bottom.

With these ingredients and tools, you'll be well on your way to creating a delicious steamed pudding!

How to prepare the basin for a steamed pudding

Preparing the basin is an important step in making a steamed pudding. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Firstly, you will need a pudding basin, which typically has a capacity of around 1 litre or 4 cups. Grease the basin generously with butter. This step is crucial as it ensures that the pudding will not stick to the basin and makes it easier to remove once cooked. You can also use other types of bowls, such as a heat-resistant bowl or any round glass or porcelain bowl.

Next, prepare a lid for the basin. Cut a piece of baking paper and foil that are slightly larger than the basin's diameter. Layer the baking paper and foil together, forming a pleat of about 3 cm in the centre. This pleat is essential as it allows the pudding to expand while cooking. Butter the foil to prevent it from sticking to the pudding. Place the layered paper and foil, baking paper-side down, on top of the basin, and secure it with string under the rim. You can also create a handle by threading another piece of string on either side of the basin and tying it in place.

Now your basin is prepared, you can fill it with your chosen cake mixture and proceed with the steaming process!

How to serve a steamed pudding

Once your steamed pudding is cooked, it's time to serve it! Here's how to do it:

• Remove the pudding from the heat and take off the foil and baking paper used to cover the basin.
• Stand the pudding basin for a few minutes (around 5 minutes is usually enough) to let it cool slightly before turning it out onto a plate.
• If your pudding doesn't have a sticky topping, you can add one now. Place some jam or golden syrup in a small saucepan and heat it through until it becomes a liquefied sauce. Then, drizzle this over your pudding.
• Serve the pudding while it's still warm. Traditional steamed puddings are often served with custard, but you could also opt for cream or ice cream.

There you have it—a delicious, warm steamed pudding, perfect for those cooler months!

Frequently asked questions