Clootie Dumpling & Custard

Ingredients

200g (8 oz) plain white flour plus 25g (1 oz) for sprinkling
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
175g (6 oz) caster sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
100g (4 oz) shredded suet
100g (4 oz) sultanas
85g (3 oz) currants
85g (3 oz) chopped stoned dates
50g (2 oz) muscatel raisins
1 apple or carrot, coarsely grated
1 tablespoon black treacle
1 egg
about 150 ml (1/4 pint) butter milk

Preparation

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices, and salt into a bowl and stir in the sugar, suet, dried fruits, and grated apple or carrot. Mix black treacle with egg and enough of the buttermilk to give a soft mixture with a cake like dropping consistency when mixed into the dry ingredients.

Dip a large piece of muslin, like an old pillowcase, a pudding cloth or teatowel into boiling water, remove it and squeeze out excess water. Lay it out on a surface and, in the centre, sprinkle the extra flour and sugar in a 30 cm (12 in) circle. Spoon the pudding mixture on top, carefully gather up the corners of the cloth to shape the pudding mix into a sphere and tie securely with string leave a little room for the pudding to expand.

Rest a heatproof plate in the base of a large pan, on a trivet so that it is not in direct contact with the heat and place the pudding on the plate, knotted side up. Pour in enough water almost to cover the pudding, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer gently for 3 ¾ - 4 hrs. Take a peek every now and then to check the water level and top it up if necessary.

Preheat the over to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/Gas 4. Lift the pudding out of the pan and dip it briefly in a bowl of cold water – this will ensure that the outside of the pudding doesn’t stick; unwrap the pudding and transfer it to an ovenproof serving plate. Slide it into the oven and leave for 15 mins, until the outside of the pudding has dried off and is dark and glossy. Allow to cool for a few minutes or allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to seven days. The best way of reheating I’ve found is in a microwave, or alternatively in a low-to-medium oven covered in buttered foil.

Serve in chunky wedges, with scoops of clotted cream or custard* and perhaps a small glass of whisky.

* For home-made custard:

½ pt (275ml) cream
3 egg yolks
1 level tbs castor sugar
1 level tea sp. Corn flour
2 drops vanilla essence

First heat the cream in a small saucepan up to the boil.

In a bowl mix egg yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla together.

Then pour the hot cream in – stirring all the time – and return the mixture to the saucepan.

Heat very gently, still stirring until the sauce has thickened, which will only take a minute or two.