Keeping Christmas Pudding.

Our answer

The keeping qualities of a homemade Christmas Pudding may vary according to the ingredients as sugar and alcohol are preservatives and the higher level of these in the pudding, the longer it may last. For Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding we would suggest a keeping time of up to 6 weeks, or up to 1 year if the pudding is frozen.

The conditions in which you keep the pudding are also very imortant. The pudding should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. If the pudding is in a warm and humid environment (such as a steamy kitchen) then there is a risk that some mould will develop on the pudding. If you live in a warm or humid climate then it may be better to store the pudding in the fridge or to freeze it. If the pudding is frozen then thaw it overnight at room temperature before the second steaming and make sure it is piping hot all the way through before serving.

If you have steamed the pudding in a plastic basin with a snap on lid then it is worth double checking that no water has entered the pudding during steaming. If it has then gently mop the water up with kitchen roll (paper towels), press a piece of baking parchment (parchment paper) on the the surface of the pudding and re-seal the basin tightly. You may like to wrap the basin tightly in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap) for the second steaming so that water doesn't seep in again.

If you have made the pudding in a china basin then let the pudding cool and unwrap it, replace the piece of baking parchment on the surface of the pudding and re-wrap it tightly ready for Christmas Day.