Queries: Malteser Cake/Steak & Kidney Pudding

Asked by alexthetraveller. Answered on 10th September 2011

Full question

Is it correct that there is only 15g of butter in Nigella's Chocolate Malteser Cake (Feast, p283)?

Does Nigella really mean a 3 litre plastic bowl for the Steak & Kidney Pudding on page 94 of Domestic Goddess? The pudding would be bigger than my table! Surely she meant to put 3 pints? Jo

Our answer

The Chocolate Malteser Cake is based on whisked eggs and the very small amount of butter in the mixture (15g or 1 tablespoon) is correct.

For the Steak & Kidney Pudding we are sorry for the error but the pudding basin should be 3 pints/1.8 litres. Nigella likes to use a plastic basin with a clip-on lid and if you are steaming the pudding in a proper tiered steamer (ie the pudding is not touching the water) then just snapping on the greased lid should be fine. If you are steaming in a regular saucepan with the base of the pudding in a few centimetres of water then we would suggest that the basin is wrapped tightly in a double layer of clingfilm and a layer of foil after the lid is snapped on, as occasionally the lids can pop off and water can get into the pudding. Also make sure there is an old folded up tea towel in the bottom of the saucepan to protect the basin from direct heat.