How to make clootie dumplings – recipe | Felicity cloak

CLet’s face it, lootie dumpling is a much better name than Spotted Dick, but if you were fond of the latter at school, you’ll probably enjoy this classic steamed Scottish pudding. Not too sweet, and thanks to the apples and carrots, lighter than it looks, it’s a suitable winter dessert and the perfect end to a Burns dinner, especially when served with custard or ice cream.

Preparatory school 20 minutes
He cooks 3 hours and 15 minutes
serves 8-10

110 grams of fresh lardOr dried tallow or a vegetable substitute
225 grams of plain flourPlus more dust
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon mixed spices
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon of ground spices
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
110 grams of fine brown sugar
– 75 grams of fine fresh bread crumbs
25 grams of coarse oatsOr an additional 25 grams of breadcrumbs
200 grams of raisins
100 grams of currants or raisins -The golden ones look especially beautiful
1 large green apple
1 carrot
Peel of an unwaxed orange or lemon, finely grated
1 eggto hit
2 tablespoons black honey
About 60 ml of milk

Half fill a large pot with a lid with water, then bring to a boil (if you have a frying pan with handles on the side, that’s even better). Soak a clean tea towel (soft, rather than anything fluffy or towel-like) or cheesecloth in water. And prepare some butcher’s twine or something similar.

2 Note on grease

Although lard appears heavy, its high melting point gives the dumpling dough a delicate fluffiness. Fresh tallow (the solid fat from around the kidneys, rather than general beef fat) has the best flavor, but the dried stuff, which also comes in vegetarian versions, will be fine. If you are using fresh, place it in the freezer while you prepare the rest.

3 Start mixing the dumplings

Place the flour (if you prefer wholemeal flour, you may need to use more milk later) in a large bowl with the baking powder and salt. Add all the spices (cinnamon would be a nice addition, or you can just use 2 teaspoons of mixed spices). Then add the sugar (dark brown sugar will give a richer flavour, but white is acceptable).

Breadcrumbs should be the fresh, fluffy kind, not the dried, crunchy kind sold in supermarkets. To make your own, cut up about 200g of stale bread (the baker will probably sell you or give you some), then remove the crusts. Pulse the cubes in a food processor to turn them into crumbs.

5 Add crumbs, oatmeal and fruit

Add the breadcrumbs, oatmeal, and dried fruit (again, you can substitute your favorite kind) to the dry ingredients and whisk until evenly combined. Coarsely grate the lard and, if necessary, the apples (no need to peel them) and carrots (peel only if they look irreparably dirty), then add the grated citrus zest and stir.

6- Mix the black honey with the milk

Place the treacle (a lightly greased spoon, or a spoon briefly dipped in boiling water, is useful here to measure) in a small bowl, add the egg and beat with a fork (this will make it easier to distribute the sticky treacle through the dumpling mixture). Stir this into a large bowl. With enough milk to form a mixture that falls off the spoon without running.

7 Wrap the dough with a cloth, then tie it

Wring the wet tea towel well, then sprinkle one side of it with a little flour. Place a tea towel over a medium bowl, then place the dumpling mixture in the middle. Bring the edges of the towel together up and over the top of the dumpling mixture, forming a small round bundle somewhat like a money bag, then tie the top of the bundle tightly with string, leaving long tails at each end.

8 Steam the dumplings

Place a heatproof plate or heat diffuser at the base of the pot of boiling water, then place the pudding in – the water should come up to about halfway up the sides. Tie the tails of string tight around the handles on each side of the pot (or around the lid), so it doesn’t tip over, then cover the pan and leave to simmer for three hours, adding water as needed.

9 finishing touches

Carefully lift the dumplings, then place them on a serving plate or tray. For the full Clootie dumpling experience, allow them to cool slightly while you preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/390°F/Gas 6, then place the dumplings in the oven for 15 minutes, until they develop a pliable skin. Serve with custard, cream or ice cream. They are also delicious sliced ​​and fried in butter the next day.