As we already know, puddings are cooked by being boiled, steamed, or baked. No different utensils from those used in the making of custards and cakes need to be provided for the making of puddings except, perhaps, a steamer for steamed puddings.
The baking of puddings is so similar to the baking of cakes and custards that the same directions apply. A few points, however, should be kept in mind if you want to have good quality puddings as final result:
The utensil for a pudding that has to be baked or steamed may be of any desired shape, but it should always be greased.
Puddings that contain an egg-and-milk mixture, as, for instance, bread pudding, must necessarily, as with custards, be baked at a temperature low enough to prevent them from curdling.
A pudding steamer, which is required for steamed puddings, usually consists of a large pan, which sets directly over the heat and into which the water is poured; a second pan, which fits closely into the first one and into which the pudding is put; and a spout, into which the water may be poured. The steamer must be very closely covered in order that all the steam, which does the cooking, may be retained.
If you don't have original pudding steamer, regular household utensils may be used to improvise. For example: a pan, a colander, and another pan with cover that will fit tight enough to retain the steam will answer the purpose of a steamer. Another option may be to put pudding into individual mold or molds and these then set in the second pan to cook.
When puddings are cooked by steaming, it should be remembered that the steaming process must be continuous. Therefore, if water must be added during the cooking, boiling water should be used so as not to lower the temperature and stop the formation of steam. After being steamed sufficiently, puddings of this kind are often placed in the oven for a short time in order to dry the surface.
