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Tips on making puddings

Using a cloth

If you decide to use a cloth for your pudding for authenticity, then use a strong cotton fabric such as calico or a double layer of muslin, thoroughly wet it, lay it out on a surface and sprinkle generously with flour. This will create a strong seal when it is put into the boiling water so that the contents don’t seep out through the cloth. Make sure that when you place the pudding on top of the cloth you bring the sides up around the pudding mixture so you keep the pudding as round as possible and tie it firmly on the top. A loose cloth will lead to a rather flattened pudding. You will never get a perfect sphere with this method but if you’re determined to have a pudding as round as a cannonball then it’s advisable to use two semi-spherical cake tins and fill each tin to the top with the pudding mixture and secure them together with large rubber bands.

Using a pudding basin or mould

If you’re using a pudding basin make sure you cut a disc of greaseproof paper to fit the bottom of the basin and place there once you have generously greased the inside of the basin. This ensures that the top of the pudding doesn’t stick to the basin when turning out. However, there are some recipes where this isn’t appropriate as the disc sinks into the mixture. The recipe will indicate whether or not to use the greaseproof disc.

Boiling or steaming

Traditionally, puddings, whether in a cloth or basin would be placed in a large pan of boiling water. However, if you have a large steamer, place the pudding in the top and steam for the same amount of time as if boiling.

Using a trivet

Often pudding recipes will suggest putting a plate or trivet at the bottom of the saucepan if boiling your pudding. A plate tends to rattle as the pudding boils which is somewhat irritating. I don’t tend to bother with this practice and haven’t had a problem with it.

Plastic lids or kitchen foil

If you’re using a plastic, lidded pudding basin avoid using the lid and follow the instructions for covering the pudding with pleated kitchen foil. This is because most puddings expand while cooking and are likely to push the lid off. The lid is useful, however, if you want to reserve the pudding for future use (such as a Christmas pudding which should be kept for a month or so before its final steaming).

Equipment

Yellow bowl, weighting scales, colander, muslin, wooden spoon, string, scissors. Wooden surface. Tiled background.

Using a cloth

  • Scales
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cotton or muslin
  • Colander
  • Scissors
  • String
  • Large-lidded saucepan
  • Large steamer
Yellow bowl, pudding basins, scissors, string, wooden spoon, baking paper, kitchen foil. Wooden surface. Tiled background.

Using a basin or mould

  • Scales
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon
  • Pudding basin or mould
  • Greaseproof paper
  • Kitchen foil
  • Scissors
  • String
  • Large-lidded saucepan
  • Large steamer

Step-by-step: using a cloth

  • Hands cutting muslin with orange scissors.
    Step 1
    Cut the cloth (muslin or calico) to the desired dimensions - usually about 35x35cm. 


  • Hands holding muslin under running tap.
    Step 2
    Wet the cloth thoroughly.
  • Hands wringing out muslin over a sink.
    Step 3
    Wring the water out of the cloth.
  • Wet muslin spread out onto wooden background.
    Step 4
    Lay the cloth on a work surface.
  • Hand scattering flour onto wet muslin on wooden surface.
    Step 5
    Dust all over the surface of the cloth with flour.
  • Hand smoothing flour into wet muslin on wooden surface.
    Step 6
    Use your hands to spread the flour over the cloth.
  • Colander lined with muslin. Wooden surface.
    Step 7
    To fill the cloth, lay it out in a colander.
  • Pudding mixture in colander lined with muslin. Wooden surface.
    Step 8
    Place the pudding mixture in the cloth. 
  • Hands lifting muslin edges from pudding in cloth in colander. Wooden surface.
    Step 9
    Bring the four corners of the cloth together over the pudding.
  • Hands holding pudding wrapped in cloth in colander.
    Step 10
    Use one hand to mould the pudding into a sphere while the other holds the edges of the cloth together tightly.
  • Hands tying string around the top of the pudding inside a cloth.
    Step 11
    Tie the string tightly round the top of the pudding. 


  • Hand holding edges of cloth pudding is tied in while the other hand cuts it with scissors.
    Step 12
    Trim the excess cloth. 


  • Pudding tied in a cloth suspended from a kitchen hook. Hanging pots on either side.
    Step 13
    Hang the pudding up on a coat hanger or pan hook and leave for an hour to help maintain the spherical shape. 


  • Pudding tied in a cloth immersed in water in saucepan.
    Step 14
    Fill a large-lidded saucepan with boiling water from the kettle and place the pudding in the water fully submerged.
  • Saucepan with lid covering pudding in a cloth in water.
    Step 15
    Cover with the lid and bring to the boil. Simmer for the length of time required by your recipe.

    If you have a large steamer then you can place the basin or mould in the top part and simmer for the same length of time.

    Whether boiling or steaming the pudding, check regularly to see if the water level has dropped significantly and use a kettle to top up with boiling water if required.

Step-by-step: using a basin

  • Pudding basin greased with butter.
    Step 1
    Grease the inside of the basin or mould thoroughly with the fat required by the recipe. 
  • Greased pudding basin, roll of baking paper with scissors and cut disc of baking paper.
    Step 2
    Cut a disc of greaseproof paper to the size of the bottom of the basin or mould.

    Check the recipe to see whether this is required. It is not always appropriate for sponge puddings as the paper can get submerged in the sponge.

    At this point you should also cut a disc of greaseproof paper to fit the top of the basin once it has been filled.
  • Greased pudding basin with disc of baking paper placed in the bottom of the basin.
    Step 3
    Place the disc in the bottom of the basin or mould.  
  • Pudding mixture in greased pudding basin.
    Step 4
    Place the pudding mixture in the basin or mould leaving 1 to 2cm space at the top.


  • Step 5
    Place the larger disc of greaseproof paper over the pudding mixture. 
  • Piece of pleated kitchen foil on wooden surface.
    Step 6
    Take a piece of kitchen foil and make a pleat of about 4cm wide in the centre (this stops the foil from splitting as the pudding expands while cooking). 
  • Pudding basin covered with kitchen foil showing pleat. Untrimmed. Wooden surface.
    Step 7
    Place the pleated kitchen foil over the top of the pudding basin or mould making sure the pleat is placed over the centre.
  • Pudding basin with kitchen foil wrapped over the top untrimmed. Ball of string. Wooden surface.
    Step 8
    Cut off a piece of string long enough to go round the basin or mould with enough to spare to tie it. 
  • Pudding basin with untrimmed kitchen foil on top tied with string. Wooden surface.
    Step 9
    Cut another piece of string and tie each end to the string that will go around the basin or mould to make a handle by which you can lift the pudding out of the hot water when it’s cooked. 
  • Pudding in pudding basin covered with kitchen foil tied with string. Wooden surface.
    Step 10
    Tie the original piece of string tightly round the top of the basin or mould just under the lip.  Trim the foil.
  • Pudding basin with foil top tied with string suspended in saucepan of water.
    Step 11
    Place the basin or mould in a large saucepan and pour boiling water from the kettle around it. The water should come to two thirds up the sides of the basin or mould.
  • Pudding in lidded saucepan on hob.
    Step 12
    Cover with the lid and bring to the boil. Simmer for the length of time required by your recipe.

    If you have a large steamer then you can place the basin or mould in the top part and simmer for the same length of time.

    Whether boiling or steaming the pudding, check regularly to see if the water level has dropped significantly and use a kettle to top up with boiling water if required.
  • Pudding in pudding basin topped with baking paper. Kitchen foil pulled back over the top. Bamboo surface.
    Step 13
    When the cooking time is up, use the string handle to lift the pudding out of the hot water and place on a work surface to cool a little. Snip the string and remove the foil and greaseproof paper covers.
  • Pudding in white bowl covered with transparent pudding basin on bamboo surface.
    Step 14
    Place the pudding basin or mould, open end down, on the serving dish. Remember to remove the small paper disc on the top.
  • Pudding in white bowl on bamboo surface.
    Step 15
    Lift off the basin or mould and serve.
© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace