Steaming a Christmas pudding

Going to try my slow cooker this year for my pud.
But to be honest I microwave mine, haven’t made them for years. I think if I still made mine I would steam it. Did have a pressure cooker which I used that was great.

I cook the pudding traditionally in a large steaming saucepan but reheat on the day in the slow cooker as it frees up hob space and doesn’t add steam to an already overheated kitchen!

I use a slow cooker too. I find that if microwaved the consistency of the pudding is different. I do use the microwave to reheat leftovers though.

I find the best way is in the oven. Pudding in a roasting tin with boiling water (like a bain marie) cover with double layer of aluminium foil, making sure it is sealed round the edges and cook for required time. Hey presto - done! You would be amazed that the same amount of water is still in the tin it just condenses and recycles!!!

Hollydoilly10 and the evidence for your extraordinary statement is what?

How many people rely on Christmas pudding for a significant part of their daily nutritional needs?

I use my slow cooker to steam my Christmas puddings. This means no steamy kitchen and they come out perfect .

That's the way we do it, too. Same with Steak and kidney pudding - never so much as thought of buying a steamer except maybe for Chinese meals!

I used to use a Slow cooker but found that the puddings were too cooked and had little body. Now I place the pudding bowl in simmering water in a pan over a low heat on the hob for 2and half to 3 hours. Perfect and with a lid on the pan not much steam and it does not need topping up. On the day invert over a serving plate and a couple of minutes in the microwave the pudding drops onto the plate ready too eat. You could to do it from scratch on the day and it would taste just as good covered with flaming brandy.

I also use a slow cooker, both for cooking and then in Christmas Day for reheating. Just plug it in in a corner somewhere, even in the garage. Doesn't need watching, doesn't take up space on the hob, just remember to turn it on at least two hours ahead of when you need it.

i buy mine ready made. Problem solved. lol

Heavens to Murgatroyd! Microwave….

Just use a saucepan, its easy.
also cover the top with greaseproof paper before the foil, remember that we got rid of our aluminium saucepans as they cause dementia well Aluminium foil does the same if it touches the food - leaves a strange taste too..
Microwaves explode the molecules in any food and destroy any nutrition, so a waste of effort.

Upturned saucer, water halfway up bowl and keep topping up.

Has nobody heard of those new fangled things called microwave ovens?

I cook mine in my microwave, start with 6 minutes and do extra minutes if necessary. For a three pounder, probably 8 or 9 minutes.

Great replies - thanks! I do have a slow cooker but I don't think it's tall enough to take this 3 pint pudding. Why didn't I make 2 smaller ones? I can't use the oven as the puddings are in plastic bowls with lids. Jalima1108, you made me laugh.

If we're at home, I put it in the slow cooker again on the day, Witzend, somewhere out of the way of the rest of the cooking.

Done! Two slow cooking, with a little one (the taster) steaming away in the old pressure cooker.
Now I'll have to stay up until about midnight to make sure the water stays topped up.

I do one of mine using the steamer and the other one in a saucepan with boiling water. They come out the same but the steamer doesn't take so much topping up.

This one is like mine, only mine is not so posh because I bought it in a pound shop years ago. www.amazon.co.uk/Judge-Multi-Steamer-Insert-Silver/dp/B00140SJ5I/ref=sr_1_23?s=kitchen&keywords=steamers+for+cooking&tag=gransnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1542987344&sr=1-23

I like the sound of that Witzend ..... the microwave I mean

I just do mine in a big saucepan with boiling water halfway up, like a pp. It's always worked fine. You need to be on the spot for a lot of topping up, though.
For the past few years I haven't bothered to re-boil on the day - takes up too much room on the hob - just 2 lots of 5 mins in the microwave, while it's still in the basin.

I do mine in the pressure cooker too

I am thinking of using the slow cooker. In fact, I must get off here and get on with it otherwise it will still be slow cooking at 2 am.

I used to use a pressure cooker without putting the weights on the top.

I also cook Christmas puds in slow cooker