Name: Clootie Dumpling
Cuisine: United Kingdom
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons each, freshly ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; 125 g (4oz) beef suet or butter; Silver coins, wrapped in greaseproof paper, for children; 175 g (6oz) Californian raisins; Cotton or linen cloth — 55 cm (22 in) square; 2 tablespoons golden syrup; 125 g (4oz) self-raising flour; 175 g (6oz) sultanas; 1 large cooking apple, grated; 2 eggs; 2 tablespoons black treacle; 175 g (6oz) fine white breadcrumbs; freshly squeezed orange juice or mild ale to mix; 2 teaspoons baking powder; zest of 2 oranges; 1 large carrot, grated

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

A Year in a Scots Kitchen

By Catherine Brown

Published 1996

About

There is a sustaining warmth and weightiness in a suet dumpling which comes from the unique combination of spices and suet.

Butter makes a lighter, more fragile dumpling, which may split as it dries out in the oven.

Ingredients

125 g (4oz) self-raising flour
175 g (6

Method

Preparing the pot and cloth

Fill a large pot with water, place a metal grid or upside-down saucer in the base. Bring to the boil and put in cloth for a few minutes. Lift out with tongs and spread out on table. Sprinkle with plain flour, shake off excess.