Full question
I want to make the Ultimate Christmas pudding. I need to buy a pudding basin but the only plastic ones with lids that I can find tell you not to use the lid when steaming. Can you advise what plastic pudding basin I can get/use that has a useable lid? Thanks.
Our answer
Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding (from NIGELLA CHRISTMAS) is a traditional Christmas pudding that is steamed in a 1.7 litre (UK 3 pint/US 1 1/2 quart) basin. Nigella uses a plastic basin with a snap-on lid. It is likely that the instructions for your plastic basins don't recommend cooking with the lid on as there is a risk that the lid could come off during cooking, letting water into the pudding.
However, it is possible to cook the pudding in a plastic basin without the lid. Put the pudding mixture into the greased basin and cover the top of the mixture with a circle of baking parchment (parchment paper). Wrap the basin tightly in a double layer of food wrap (going over the top and under the base of the pudding. Repeat with a double layer of foil and then steam the pudding for the first time. Once the pudding has cooled completely, unwrap and replace the circle of baking parchment with a fresh piece, then snap on the lid and store the pudding in a cool, dry place. When you want to eat the pudding, remove the lid, wrap the pudding as before with food wrap and foil and steam for a second time.
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