Clootie Dumpling
A rich, spiced Scottish fruit pudding boiled in a floured cloth to create a dark, protective skin. Serve warm with creamy custard.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 210 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •large stockpot
- •cotton cloot (a clean cloth or tea towel)
- •kitchen string
- •heatproof saucer
- •large mixing bowl
- •baking tray
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 16 g
- carbs
- 62 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 6 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and scald the cotton cloot (a cloth) for five minutes.
- 2
Carefully lift out the hot cloth, wring out excess water, and spread it flat on a clean surface.
- 3
Dust the damp cloth generously and evenly with extra plain flour to create a thick white coating.
- 4
In a large bowl, mix the plain flour, shredded suet, breadcrumbs, brown sugar, sultanas, raisins, and spices.
- 5
Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the warm milk, then whisk in the beaten egg and black treacle.
- 6
Pour the wet mixture into the dry bowl and mix thoroughly to form a soft, sticky dough.
- 7
Place the dough in the centre of the floured cloth and draw the corners together.
- 8
Tie securely with string, leaving a two-centimetre gap at the top to allow the dumpling to swell.
- 9
Place an inverted saucer in the boiling pot, then lower the dumpling onto the saucer.
- 10
Cover and simmer gently for three hours, topping up with boiling water as needed to keep it submerged.
- 11
Carefully remove the dumpling, untie the cloth, invert onto a plate, and gently peel away the cloth.
- 12
Dry in the oven at 110°C for fifteen minutes until a shiny, dark skin forms.
Chef's tips
Flour the scalded cloth thoroughly to form the signature glossy skin. Leave enough slack in the string when tying so the pudding can expand without bursting.
Ingredient substitutions
- shredded beef suet → vegetable suet for a vegetarian version
- black treacle → dark molasses or golden syrup
Storage
Wrap tightly in greaseproof paper and store in the fridge for up to five days.
Reheating
Fry cold slices gently in butter in a frying pan until heated through and crisp on the edges.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Tying the cloth too tightly, which makes the finished dumpling heavy and dense.
- •Allowing the stockpot to boil dry during the long cooking time.
- •Skipping the oven-drying step, which leaves the protective skin soft rather than glossy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Clootie Dumpling?
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