4 oz wholemeal flour
1 tspn baking powder
6 oz very fine brown breadcrumb
4 oz suet
4 oz sultanas
4 oz currants
1 large cooking apple grated
1 tspn ground ginger
1 tspn ground nutmeg
1 tspn ground cummin
1 tspn ground cinnamon
2 tbsp black treacle
2 eggs
Juice and zest of one lemon
Fresh Orange Juice
A square of cotton or linen cloth.
However you need to start by preparing the clootie cloth, a square of muslin which the pudding is boiled in to cook. The pudding is often referred to as a Clootie but the name actually refers to the cloth not the dumpling itself. Put the cloth in boiling water for a few minutes then lay it out flat and quickly sprinkle it with some of the flour, so it is cover but not in too thick a layer.
Mix all the ingredients together, you need a firm consistency so use as much or as little orange juice as you need. Put the mixture in the centre of the cloth and tie it up loosely, then simmer it water for around 4 hours. Once cooked plunge the dumpling in boiling water, then slice and serve.
It can be served with custard – try adding some ginger wine to the custard, works a treat, any left over can be served fried with an egg – don’t turn up your nose until you have tried it!
