Boiled pudding steps

1. Preparing pudding cloth

Bring a large boiler or stock pot threequarters full with water to the boil. To prepare the pudding cloth, dip it into boiling water for 1 minute. Wearing rubber gloves, remove cloth with tongs to a bowl (Step 1A, opposite) and wring excess water from cloth. Spread the hot cloth on the bench; rub ¾ cup plain flour into centre of cloth to cover an area about 40cm in diameter (Step 1B). Leave flour a little thicker in centre of cloth where the “skin” on the pudding will need to be thickest.

2. Wrapping the pudding mix

Place the pudding mixture in a mound in the centre of the cloth, keeping it within the floured area (Step 2A). Carefully gather cloth evenly around the mixture, avoiding creating any deep pleats; pat the pudding into a round shape. Tie cloth tightly with kitchen string as close to the mixture as possible, keeping its rounded shape (Step 2B). This is easier with an extra pair of hands, so ask someone to help by holding cloth firmly at the top.

3. Boiling the pudding

Lower the pudding into boiling water. Tie the string to the pan handles to suspend pudding (Step 3); there must be enough water for it to float freely at all times. Weigh lid down with something heavy.

4. Cooling the pudding

Place a wooden spoon through the string loops to remove the pudding from the water (Step 4), being careful not to put the pudding down. Suspend the pudding between the rungs of an upturned stool for 10 minutes for it to dry slightly.