Filling a Pudding Basin

Asked by Feargconlan. Answered on 21st November 2013

Full question

This year I am making a Christmas pudding for the first time, having picked up the torch from my dear Mum who passed away earlier this year. For Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding I was wondering how much pudding batter should be put in the basin or mould? Should there be some room left at the top of the pudding basin to allow for expansion of the pudding during cooking? Best Regards, Feargal.

Our answer

All puddings vary slightly but for Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding (from Christmas and on the Nigella website) the amount of pudding batter in the recipe is enough to fill a 1.5 litre (1 1/2 quart) basin or a 1 litre (1 quart) plus a 0.5 litre (2 cup/1/2 quart) basin. This will mean that there is a small gap at the top of the basin (about 2.5cm/1 inch) and this is sufficient as the pudding does not expand much during cooking.

If you are making a sponge-type steamed pudding then you will get more expansion of the pudding as it cooks and may need to allow more space in the basin. Nigella's steamed Chocolate Sponge Pudding (from Christmas) is cooked in a 1.5 litre (1 1/2 quart) basin and the batter only comes about 2/3rds of the way up the sides of the basin as it will expand a lot more.

Stir-Up Sunday is on 24th November 2013.