Clootie Dumpling Recipe Slow Cooker Recipes

CLOOTIE DUMPLING RECIPE

Steps:

• Take a large mixing bowl and add the flour, oatmeal, suet or butter, sugar, spices, currants, sultanas/raisins, baking powder, bicarb and treacle.
• Next, add the treacle and the eggs and mix together slowly. It will start to form a large sticky ball, and you may want to get your hands in now to help it come together!
• You can add a little milk if the mixture seems dry. We usually add between 75-150ml so only do a small amount at a time.
• Take your Clootie Dumpling cloth or "Cloot" and put it in the colander in the sink. Pour boiling hot water over the cloot, covering it thoroughly.
• Wait for it to cool enough to handle and squeeze out any excess water and place the cloth on a clean surface.
• Once your cloot is laid out sprinkle the entire surface of your cloot with a thin and even layer of flour. You can shake off any excess carefully into the sink. Your aim, once the cloot is tightly tied, is to have the floured cloot touch the whole surface of the dumpling, transferring the flour from the cloth to the pudding.
• Take your ball-shaped dumpling and gently place it in the centre of the cloot.
• Cut a long piece of string, roughly half a metre in length.
• Draw up the corners and edges of the cloth together to the top of the dumpling.
• Take your string and tie your cloth's edges and corners together tightly roughly in the centre of the length of string, leaving a little space between the top of the dumpling and your knot to allow the pudding to expand.
• Place a small plate upside down in the base of your pot, this should be able to withstand heat.
• Lift your newly tied clootie dumpling and carefully place it into your pot.
• Tie the dumpling to any panhandles on either side using the excess string.
• Tip boiling water around your dumpling until the dumpling is submerged up to the knot. Your dumpling may float a little, this is perfectly fine.
• Place the lid of your pan on at a slight angle allowing for steam to escape and set the heat to keep the water gently simmering.
• Leave to simmer for 3 hours. The water level should cover your dumpling at all times so do add more boiling water to make sure it's completely covered if required.
• Once your dumpling is cooked take your colander and place it in your sink. Carefully take your dumpling out of the pot and place it in the colander allowing any excess water to drain off. Make sure you don't move the cloth from the surface of the dumpling at this stage as you may rip the skin.
• Preheat your oven to 180°C or 356°F, approx gas mark 4.
• Once drained pick the dumpling up by the knot (carefully as it'll be hot) and place on a large chopping board or clean heat proof surface.
• Using a sharp knife or scissors and cut the string at the top of the cloot.
• Very carefully peel back the cloot from the dumpling. it is crucial at this stage that you don't remove the skin formed by the flour. We used the back of a spoon to help keep the skin attached.
• Once the cloot is removed, place your dumpling on your baking tray knot side down and pop it into your oven for 5 -10mins or until the skin has darkened. Don't be tempted to leave it in too long as this can dry out the dumpling.
• Serve with custard or cream!

CLOOTIE DUMPLING

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.

CLOOTIE DUMPLING (SPICED FRUIT DUMPLING)

Steps:

• Take a 22" square of clean cotton or linen cloth. 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 flour and toss the flour to coat the main centre of the cloth quite thickly.
• Beat the treacle into the eggs and then place into a bowl with the remaining flour and all the other ingredients. Mix to a stiff consistency. If needed, add a little orange juice.
• Pour the dough into the center 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. Occasionally check and top up the water 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 and place the pudding into a hot oven to dry off the surface. Serve hot with your choice of dessert sauce - custard, brandy butter, hard sauce, etc.
• Any left-over Clootie dumpling may be sliced, then fried, or wrapped in foil and reheated in a warm oven, or loosely covered with paper towel and reheated in a microwave.

GREAT GRANDMOTHER FRASER'S CLOOTIE DUMPLING

Steps:

• 1. Place all the ingredients, except the tea, together in a large mixing bowl and mix together so that everything is evenly mixed together.
• 2. Now add enough tea to the mix until you have a stiff mixture. The mixture is pretty sticky so you will not need too much tea to achieve the desired effect. Try to not make the mixture too dry, but also avoid making it too wet.
• 3. To prepare a pudding cloth. Use a large square of muslin or cut up an old sheet - anything cotton (not towelling) and that will not lose fibres. Soak the cloth in boiling water. Then wring it out. The cloth should be damp but not dripping. Lay the scalded cloth on the work surface and give it a good dusting with flour, this will protect the dumpling and give it its skin at the end.
• 4. Pile the dumpling mixture into the centre of cloth and then bring the cloth together at the top and tie together tightly with string so that you now have something that resembles an old money bag. Ensure that there is enough room to allow the dumpling to swell when cooking. There must not be any gaps or holes where the cloth has been tied together or water will get in and you'll be left with a soggy mess!
• 5. Place a oven-proof plate in the bottom of a large saucepan / stock pot you are going to cook the dumpling in, as this will give it something to sit on without burning the bottom. The pan should be large enough to allow the dumpling to swell without touching the sides.
• 6. Boil a kettle and pour in enough water to cover the plate, then put the pan on a high heat and the add the dumpling and remaining boiled water until the water level comes ¾ of the way up the side of the dumpling. Do not pour water directly onto the dumpling, add it to the side. Add more boiling water if necessary to bring the water to the correct level Do not submerge the dumpling.
• 7. Cover the pan keeping the water at a rolling boil cook the dumpling for 3-3.5 hours, checking the level every 20 minutes or so and adding boiling water from the kettle if necessary. Do not let the dumpling boil dry. Do not let the water go off the boil (or you'll have a soggy mess).
• 8. Depending on how much space you left when tying the dumpling, some of the mixture may squeeze out as the dumpling starts to cook and swell. Fear not - provided it doesn't become too wet the dumpling will be ok. Once cooked, take the dumpling out and leave it to cool for about 10 minutes on plate, then cut the string and gently peel off the cloth.
• 9. There should be a translucent skin left on the surface of the dumpling, which should now resemble a large fruity boulder. If you leave the dumpling to cool for too long, when you take remove the cloth you will probably lose most of the skin. This is not a serious issue, but the skin is nice! Serve warm or cold with brandy butter, rum sauce, custard, ice-cream - whatever takes your fancy. This reheats well in the microwave and freezes really.

CLOOTIE DUMPLING

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.

CLOOTIE DUMPLING

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.