Why Has Some Butter Leaked Out From My Christmas Pudding During Steaming?

Our answer

Nigella's Ultimate Christmas Pudding (from NIGELLA CHRISTMAS) is usually steamed for an initial 5 hours. You can use a clip-on lid with a plastic pudding basin or wrap the basin tightly with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and foil before cooking.

It is not unusual for some of the fat to leak out of the pudding during cooking. This happens as the fat melts and then the pudding expands as it cooks, forcing some of the fat out and up out of the basin, where it will drip into the steaming water. It may be a little more pronounced if the pudding basin was very full. As the pudding cools, it shrinks back again into the basin. It may look like a lot of fat in the water, but usually it is quite a small amount that leaks out and the pudding should be fine. It is unlikely that water has seeped into the pudding, from the description, but you would see water on the surface of the pudding if this was the case. We suggest cleaning any fat off the outside of the basin with a cloth dipped in hot, soapy water and then drying it thorougly. If you have wrapped the pudding, discard the old wrapping, put a clean disc of baking parchment (parchment paper) on top of the pudding and then wrap it again with fresh clingfilm and foil. Store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to give the pudding its second steaming. If you are worried, then just make sure that you serve the pudding with plenty of brandy butter (try Nigella's Salted Caramel Brandy Butter), cream (try Nigella's Eggnog Cream, ice cream or whatever else you like to go alongside.