Christmas pudding is a staple dessert in any festive feast, but the fruity sponge can be hard to stomach after a full dinner.
All too often it becomes part of a stack of leftovers that are just waiting to go mouldy if stored incorrectly.
But one person who knows a thing or two about how to store them – whether shop-bought or homemade – is British chef Nigella Lawson.
Sharing advice on her website, she revealed the foolproof method that should always be used to keep the festive dessert at its best, even after being cooked.
Her first tip was to think ahead when working out which containers to keep homemade puddings in.
The chef said: “Christmas puddings can be made in advance and it is preferable to store them in the pudding bowls that they have been steamed in as taking them out can cause the puddings to break up.
“Plus you will need to return them to their bowls for steaming on Christmas day.”
When it comes to other materials required to preserve the fruity sponge, she claimed that parchment paper is essential for the longevity of its rich flavour.
Nigella suggested putting a fresh piece of baking parchment on top of the pudding and making sure that if there is a lid, it is snapped on tightly.
She continued: “It is also a good idea to overwrap the bowl with two to three layers of clingfilm (plastic wrap) as this will help to keep the bowls sealed tightly.
“You do not need to remove the clingfilm for steaming and it is quite useful to have it in place to prevent the lid popping off when the pudding has its second stint in the steamer.”
In the instance that the lid is lost or misplaced, there’s still a quick fix that will keep Christmas pudding airtight and fresh for as long as possible.
The chef explained: “If you don’t have lids then wrap the bowls tightly in a double layer of clingfilm followed by a double layer of foil (making sure there are no gaps) and this should not be removed before steaming.”
She continued: “Storing the puddings in a spare room is fine as long as they are away from direct light and heat.
“As it is a spare room perhaps it is possible to turn the heat down slightly in that room as the puddings will store better in a cooler climate.”
