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Clootie dumpling
Spiced fruit pudding boiled in a cloth, with its shiny 'skin'
BritishThe clootie dumpling takes its name from the cloot, the cotton cloth it is boiled in, and it is the birthday and Hogmanay pudding of Scottish grannies from Fife to the Borders. It is a dense, dark, spiced fruit pudding with a sticky skin that forms when the floured cloth is dried in front of the oven. Leftover slices are fried for breakfast. Traditional recipes use beef suet; this one uses vegetable suet so it stays vegetarian. Chef's tip: dust the scalded cloth thickly with flour before filling it; that flour is what forms the famous skin.
- Total time
- 270 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix the 8 oz self-raising flour (keep the 3 tbsp aside), 3 ½ oz fresh white breadcrumbs, 3 ⅞ oz vegetable suet, 3 ⅞ oz soft dark brown sugar, 5 ½ oz sultanas, 5 ½ oz currants, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
5 minStep 2: Warm the 2 tbsp black treacle and 1 tbsp golden syrup with the 1 cup milk until runny, then stir into the dry mix to a soft, dropping consistency.
5 minStep 3: Put a large cotton cloth (about 60 cm square) in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Wring it out, spread it flat and sprinkle thickly with the reserved flour.
5 minStep 4: Spoon the mix into the middle, gather up the cloth and tie with string, leaving room for the pudding to swell. A common mistake is tying it tight against the mixture, which makes it split.
5 minStep 5: Sit it on an upturned saucer in a large pan of simmering water that comes three-quarters of the way up. Cover and simmer for 3½–4 hours, topping up with boiling water.
240 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Lift out the dumpling, dip briefly in cold water, untie and peel off the cloth. Put it on a plate in the oven for 10–15 minutes until the skin turns shiny and leathery. Serve in slices with hot 2 cups custard.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does clootie dumpling take?
- About 270 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 240 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of self-raising flour?
- Plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder per 150g (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of fresh white breadcrumbs?
- Crushed crackers or cornflakes, same amount.
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