CLOUTIE DUMPLING
From bigkiwi 14 years ago
- 260 minutes to make
- Serves 8
This recipe has been in my family for years. It is a moist, rich, fruity pudding, which is, for me, a slice of pure nostalgia. Traditionally it was served on birthdays instead of birthday cake. There were usually three silver pennies hidden inside, like charms in a Christmas pudding; nowadays I use 5p pieces, wrapped in waxed or greaseproof paper. Read more The cloutie dumpling is steamed in a cloth (called clout; pronounced cloot in Scotland), not a bowl, and has a characteristic skin, formed by flouring the cloth lightly before filling it with the mixture. If you do not have a piece of muslin or a special pudding cloth, a clean tea towel will do very well. Once the pudding has simmered gently for about 4 hours, the cloth is removed and the dumpling popped into the oven to allow the sticky skin to dry off. At one time it was placed on a stool in front of an open fireplace; my mother remembers being given the task of turning the stool round gradually, for a good quarter of an hour, until the skin had dried all over. This pudding is wonderfully versatile. Serve it hot with either a good dollop of creme fraiche, double cream or the best ice cream; traditionally it was served only with custard. Occasionally I like to serve it topped with a hot butterscotch sauce and plenty of Greek yogurt. Then, next day (presuming you have not finished it all), cut it into slices and fry it alongside your breakfast bacon. This is sheer indulgence but believe me, there is no better breakfast on a cold, frosty day. See less
Ingredients
- 8oz / 225gram plain flour, sifted shopping list
- 7oz / 200gram golden caster sugar plus a sprinkling to serve shopping list
- 1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon shopping list
- 1 rounded teaspoon mixed spice shopping list
- 4oz / 110 gram shredded suet shopping list
- 4oz / 110 gram sultanas shopping list
- 4oz / 110 gram currants shopping list
- 4oz / 110 gram stoned dates, finely chopped shopping list
- 1 rounded teaspoon bicarbonate of soda shopping list
- 7 fl oz / 200ml milk, cold tea or sour milk shopping list
- flour and sugar to sprinkle shopping list
How to make it
- Mix the first nine ingredients together in a large bowl. Then add sufficient milk or tea to combine these to a stiff, dropping consistency or into a soft dough. Mix well.
- Dip a large pudding cloth (or tea towel) in boiling water, then drain well. (Some people use tongs - it depends on how much heat you can stand.)
- Lay it out flat on a table.
- Sprinkle with flour and then sugar (I use a flour and sugar shaker so there is an even but not thick sprinkling).
- Place the mixture in the middle of the cloth, then tie up the cloth securely with string, allowing a little room for expansion.
- Place on a heatproof plate on the bottom of a large saucepan. Steam for 4 hours, then remove and dry skin of pudding in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.
People Who Like This Dish 3
- feebie65 Nowhere, Us
- victoriaregina USA, VA
- sitbynellie Glasgow, GB
- bigkiwi Wrexham, GB
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The Rating
Reviewed by 2 people-
Aaah, a fine recipe. Never made a clootie dumpling before, it's high time I did! Thanks for posting!
Susan
sitbynellie
in Glasgow loved it
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Super recipe!
Vickie
victoriaregina
in USA loved it
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Super recipe!
Vickie victoriaregina
in USA loved it
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