Clootiedumpling Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, currants, raisins, suet, bread crumbs and sugar. Mix egg and milk with mixed spice, baking powder, salt and molasses. Stir into flour mixture to form a wet dough.
• Dip a heavy cotton cloth in boiling water and then sprinkle it with flour. Place dough in center of cloth, draw opposite corners together to form a ball, leaving a bit of room for the dumpling to expand, and tie tightly with twine to seal.
• Place the dumpling in the boiling water, reduce heat to a low boil, and cook 3 1/2 hours, topping water off as needed. Remove the dumpling from the water, remove the cloth and dry the dumpling in front of a fire or in a 150 degree oven until surface is no longer wet. Serve.

Steps:

• Wet your tea towel or cloth and baking parchment under the tap then squeeze out the excess moisture. Spread out the towel on the work surface then place two pieces of parchment (the length and width of the tea towel) in a cross on top and lightly oil or butter them. Put a very large pan of water on to boil with an upturned plate in the base.
• Tip the breadcrumbs, flour, suet, sugar, salt, bicarbonate of soda, spices and dried fruit in a large bowl and stir to mix. Whisk the treacle or syrup into the milk and egg using a fork until well blended then stir the mixture into the dried ingredients with the blade of a cutlery knife to make a soft dough.
• Dust the paper generously with sifted flour then place the dough in the centre of the cross and shape into a round with your hands. Bring the paper up round the pudding and tie at the top with string. Trim off the excess paper with scissors then wrap in the cloth and tie in the same way. Lower into the pan of simmering water, cover with a lid and boil for 3 hours until firm. Check the water level every now and then and top it up if necessary.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C /gas 4. Tip the pudding into a colander to drain and then carefully peel off the cloth and paper. Place the pudding on an ovenproof dish and bake for 15 mins to dry it off and produce the classic skin. Serve sliced with custard, cream or ice cream and a dram of whisky if you like.

Steps:

• one large square of cotton or linen cloth is needed as a pudding cloth.
• Mix all the ingredients together with enough milk to make a “not too wet mixture”.
• Drop linen cloth in boiling water, using tongs remove and wring out excess moisture.
• Sprinkle the cloth with flour.
• Put the dumpling mixture into the centre of the cloth and tie securely with twine.
• Don’t leave too much room in the cloth or the dumpling will split.
• Place the dumpling into a large saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 3 hours.
• Make sure the water level is topped up with more hot water to about half way up the side.
• The dumpling should be covered with water.
• It is a good idea to use a heat-proof plate in the bottom of the pot to keep the dumpling off the pot base.
• When ready, put dumpling on a wooden breadboard and carefully remove cloth.
• Put plate on top and turn over.
• Put in a warm oven for 10 minutes.
• Turn dumpling onto a clean plate and put into oven for a further 10 minutes.
• Note: Double the amount requires four hours' boiling.

Steps:

• Into a heavy pan place the following ingredients; water, spices, fruit, sugar, butter and treacle.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute only; remove from the heat.
• Stir the eggs, flour, and bicarbonate of soda into the mixture. It will appear to start cooking the mixture. Do not worry.
• Put mixture into pudding basins which have been lined generously with cling wrap. Wrap should flap over the sides of the basin; tap to get rid of air pockets.
• Place into the microwave for about 7 minutes. Do not cover the top with the cling wrap.
• Each microwave is different and, depending on size and power, you will have to use your own judgement.
• They are ready when a skewer comes out clean and feels firm on top.
• Now it's up to you. Play around with the sizes and make individual ones (approximately 2 or 3 minutes) or play about with the fillings.