Ingredients:
Serves 8-10
4 oz Wholemeal Flour
6 oz fine Brown Breadcrumbs
4 oz Beef Suet, finely chopped (butter may be substituted)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
4 oz Sultanas
4 oz Currants
2 tablespoons Black Treacle (Molases)
2 eggs
1 large Cooking Apple
Juice and zest of one Lemon
Fresh Orange Juice, to mix
A square of cotton or linen cloth, about 22 inches square,
Method:
Boil the cloth for a few minutes and then spread it out on a table (use tongs etc. to
prevent burning yourself).
Quickly sprinkle with about a tablespoonful of wholemeal flour and toss the flour to coat the main centre of the cloth
quite thickly.
Stir the treacle
into the eggs and then place into a bowl with all the other ingredients
Mix to a stiff consistency with a little water.
Place in the centre of the cloth.
Bring up the edges and tie with a string, leaving a little space for expansion due to the inclusion of the baking powder.
Hold the tied ends and pat the cloth into a round shape.
Place the pudding into a pot of boiling water, which should come halfway up the side.
Cover and simmer gently for 4 hours.
Check occasionally
and top up with water from the kettle, if necessary.
Once the
pudding is cooked plunge it into cold water for about one minute to release
it from the cloth.
Remove the pudding to a bowl and untie, cover with a plate and reverse it.
Peel off the cloth
Place the pudding into a hot oven to dry off the skin.
Serve:
Hot
with any accompaniment to like (custard, brandy butter etc.)
Notes:
Any left-over
Clootie dumpling may be sliced and fried, alternatively wrap in foil and
re-heat in an oven (if re-heating in a microwave oven do not wrap in foil).
If this
dumpling is being made for a traditional Christmas or New Year, a few silver coins can
be added to the mixture (wrapped in foil) for the children to find!
But,
be careful when serving to young children, as they may choke if they put the coin in their mouth!
I always break up portions given to young children and make the coin easily visible!
I also ensure that an adult is there and get it the coin removed from the plate before the pudding is eaten!