Welcome to Kitchen Queries, where the nigella.com team will answer your cooking or food related questions.  We’d love you to submit some of your recipe problems, dilemmas or queries for us to get our teeth into!

Please note, we are only able to answer questions selected for publication and aren't able to enter into personal correspondence.

• steaming christmas puddings

  I just steamed a batch of xmas puds. I used plastic pudding basins with snap on lids, and a circle of grease proof paper under the lid. I didn't wrap them as Nigella suggests, I didn't think of it, and I only steamed them for five hours (I wanted to get a second batch on). Now I am worried they will be dried and/or undercooked. Does wrapping make a big difference? and is eight hours steaming really any better than five?

  Posted by cookaleekie. Answered on 11th Dec 2010 at 12.00

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• Alternative to Christmas Cake

  Dear Nigella Team, A colleague asked me for suggestions as she wants to make and decorate a christmas cake, but her husband isnt keen on the traditional fruit cake. I suggested Nigella's chocolate christmas cake, but I am unsure if it can be iced? Would Nigella have any suggestions for an alternative cake that can be iced? Best wishes Dave

  Posted by davewales. Answered on 10th Dec 2010 at 12.00

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• Dark Muscovado Sugar

  Hi, I'm in Australia and making one of the christmas cakes, the one with prunes and cocoa in it, out of the Christmas book of Nigella's and it uses muscovado sugar. I have looked in the supermarkets here and can't locate it. Would dark brown sugar work the same way and at the same measurement? Thanks Catherine

  Posted by montys. Answered on 10th Dec 2010 at 12.00

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