Traditional Scottish Clootie Dumpling Recipe

By Elaine Lemm

Updated 12/18/17

clootie-dumpling
Barbara Macdonald
Ratings (18)
  • Total: 3 hrs 20 mins
  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 3 hrs
  • Yield: Serves 6
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
514 Calories
27g Fat
60g Carbs
9g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A traditional Clootie Dumpling recipe is deeply embedded in Scottish cooking; it is part of the hearth and home approach which makes the food of Scotland so loved everywhere. The spicy scent of a cooking clootie conjures up images of Scotland's past; a time when grandmothers would spend hours at the stove making this lovely pudding.

The fruit-spice laden suet pudding is famed for the role it plays in Scottish celebrations, and no Hogmanay, or Burn's Night Supper would be complete without one.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. / 125g. suet
  • 250g / 8 oz plain / all purpose flour
  • 4 oz. / 125g.  oatmeal
  •  8 oz. / 225g.  mixed sultanas and currants
  • 1 tbsp. Golden Syrup
  • 3 oz./ 75g. sugar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp. milk
  • 1 tbsp. flour for the cloth (the cloot)

Steps to Make It

In a large baking bowl, rub the suet into the flour. Add the oatmeal, baking powder, sugar, dried fruits, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir well then add the beaten eggs and the Golden Syrup. Stir thoroughly and add milk, a little at a time, to bind the ingredients together to create a firm dough. Be careful not to over mix or make the mixture too sloppy, it should be firm to the touch.

Put the clootie cloth into the sink, pour a kettle of boiling water over, and once cool enough to touch, ring the cloth out. Place the cloth on your work surface and sprinkle with flour.

Place the dumpling mixture into the center of the clootie, gather up the edges of the cloth and tie up but not too tightly; leave a little room for the dumpling to expand.

Place a saucer or tea plate upside down into a large cooking pot. Place the tied cloot onto the saucer, cover with boiling water, cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hours. From time to time check that the water is not boiling dry and top up if needed.

Once cooked, carefully remove the dumpling from the water. Remove the cloth then sprinkle the dumpling with a little caster sugar and place into an oven at 100°C/ 225°F for 30 minutes, or until shiny skin forms. If you wish to be more traditional, then dry the sugar-covered dumpling in front of an open fire.

Serve the Clootie Dumpling with custard or ice cream, to which you can add a little whisky or Drambuie to create a perfect match: not for the children though.

Notes: The dumpling is not reserved just for celebrations, it is a favored pudding and lovely served with whisky-laden custard or ice cream (not for the children though, I suggest for them, you leave the whisky out).