Christmas Fruit Dumpling In The Microwave Recipes

CLOOTIE DUMPLING

Steps:

• Wet your tea towel or cloth and baking parchment under the tap then squeeze out the excess moisture. Spread out the towel on the work surface then place two pieces of parchment (the length and width of the tea towel) in a cross on top and lightly oil or butter them. Put a very large pan of water on to boil with an upturned plate in the base.
• Tip the breadcrumbs, flour, suet, sugar, salt, bicarbonate of soda, spices and dried fruit in a large bowl and stir to mix. Whisk the treacle or syrup into the milk and egg using a fork until well blended then stir the mixture into the dried ingredients with the blade of a cutlery knife to make a soft dough.
• Dust the paper generously with sifted flour then place the dough in the centre of the cross and shape into a round with your hands. Bring the paper up round the pudding and tie at the top with string. Trim off the excess paper with scissors then wrap in the cloth and tie in the same way. Lower into the pan of simmering water, cover with a lid and boil for 3 hours until firm. Check the water level every now and then and top it up if necessary.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C /gas 4. Tip the pudding into a colander to drain and then carefully peel off the cloth and paper. Place the pudding on an ovenproof dish and bake for 15 mins to dry it off and produce the classic skin. Serve sliced with custard, cream or ice cream and a dram of whisky if you like.

CHRISTMAS FRUIT DUMPLING IN THE MICROWAVE

Steps:

• Put the water, fruit, fat and sugar in a large pan and slowly heat until all the sugar and fat has dissolved - Tip: you are only melting not cooking so don't let it get too hot..
• Sieve the next five ingredients into a large bowl and mix well to ensure an even spread of the spices.
• Add warm wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and add the two beaten eggs and mix well.
• Put into suitably sized microwaveable dish lined with cling film, but do not cover over the top with the cling film. I use a glass mixing bowl as the cooking dish to get a nice pudding shape. Place in microwave (timings for 900w) adjust timing for lower or higher power microwave
• Once cooked turn out onto a plate and remove cling film. Allow to cool. This can be sliced up and frozen in handy portions. It's great re-heated and then dry fried to get a tasty crust on it...
• The Scottish dish Clootie Dumpling is the basis for this updated recipe and they eat a slice of this dumpling with a cooked breakfast - naughty but delicious

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH CLOOTIE DUMPLING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil.
• In a large mixing bowl, rub the suet into the flour until it resembles cornmeal. Add the oatmeal, sultanas, dried currants, sugar, baking powder, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir well.
• Add the beaten eggs and the golden syrup. Stir thoroughly.
• Add the 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 a clean 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 clootie onto the saucer and cover with boiling water. Cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hours. Check that the water is not boiling dry from time to time and add water if needed.
• Once cooked, carefully remove the dumpling from the water. Remove the cloth then sprinkle the dumpling with a little caster sugar . Preheat the oven to 225 F/100 C.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until a shiny skin forms. If you wish to be more traditional, then dry the sugar-covered dumpling in front of an open fire.
• Slice and serve the clootie dumpling with custard or ice cream. Enjoy!

SCOTTISH PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, mixed fruit, golden raisins and margarine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, baking soda and eggs. Pour into a microwave-safe bowl.
• Place the bowl into the microwave, uncovered. Cook for 10 minutes on full power. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite custard.

MICROWAVE CLOOTIE DUMPLING

Steps:

• Into a heavy pan place the following ingredients; water, spices, fruit, sugar, butter and treacle.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute only; remove from the heat.
• Stir the eggs, flour, and bicarbonate of soda into the mixture. It will appear to start cooking the mixture. Do not worry.
• Put mixture into pudding basins which have been lined generously with cling wrap. Wrap should flap over the sides of the basin; tap to get rid of air pockets.
• Place into the microwave for about 7 minutes. Do not cover the top with the cling wrap.
• Each microwave is different and, depending on size and power, you will have to use your own judgement.
• They are ready when a skewer comes out clean and feels firm on top.
• Now it's up to you. Play around with the sizes and make individual ones (approximately 2 or 3 minutes) or play about with the fillings.

CLOOTIE DUMPLING (SPICED FRUIT DUMPLING)

Steps:

• Take a 22" square of clean cotton or linen cloth. Boil the cloth for a few minutes and then spread it out on a table (use tongs etc. to prevent burning yourself). Quickly sprinkle with about a tablespoonful of flour and toss the flour to coat the main centre of the cloth quite thickly.
• Beat the treacle into the eggs and then place into a bowl with the remaining flour and all the other ingredients. Mix to a stiff consistency. If needed, add a little orange juice.
• Pour the dough into the center of the cloth. Bring up the edges and tie with a string, leaving a little space for expansion due to the inclusion of the baking powder. Hold the tied ends and pat the cloth into a round shape.
• Place the pudding into a pot of boiling water, which should come halfway up the side. Cover and simmer gently for 4 hours. Occasionally check and top up the water if necessary.
• Once the pudding is cooked plunge it into cold water for about one minute to release it from the cloth. Remove the pudding to a bowl and untie, cover with a plate and reverse it. Peel off the cloth and place the pudding into a hot oven to dry off the surface. Serve hot with your choice of dessert sauce - custard, brandy butter, hard sauce, etc.
• Any left-over Clootie dumpling may be sliced, then fried, or wrapped in foil and reheated in a warm oven, or loosely covered with paper towel and reheated in a microwave.

CLOOTIE DUMPLING RECIPE

Steps:

• Take a large mixing bowl and add the flour, oatmeal, suet or butter, sugar, spices, currants, sultanas/raisins, baking powder, bicarb and treacle.
• Next, add the treacle and the eggs and mix together slowly. It will start to form a large sticky ball, and you may want to get your hands in now to help it come together!
• You can add a little milk if the mixture seems dry. We usually add between 75-150ml so only do a small amount at a time.
• Take your Clootie Dumpling cloth or "Cloot" and put it in the colander in the sink. Pour boiling hot water over the cloot, covering it thoroughly.
• Wait for it to cool enough to handle and squeeze out any excess water and place the cloth on a clean surface.
• Once your cloot is laid out sprinkle the entire surface of your cloot with a thin and even layer of flour. You can shake off any excess carefully into the sink. Your aim, once the cloot is tightly tied, is to have the floured cloot touch the whole surface of the dumpling, transferring the flour from the cloth to the pudding.
• Take your ball-shaped dumpling and gently place it in the centre of the cloot.
• Cut a long piece of string, roughly half a metre in length.
• Draw up the corners and edges of the cloth together to the top of the dumpling.
• Take your string and tie your cloth's edges and corners together tightly roughly in the centre of the length of string, leaving a little space between the top of the dumpling and your knot to allow the pudding to expand.
• Place a small plate upside down in the base of your pot, this should be able to withstand heat.
• Lift your newly tied clootie dumpling and carefully place it into your pot.
• Tie the dumpling to any panhandles on either side using the excess string.
• Tip boiling water around your dumpling until the dumpling is submerged up to the knot. Your dumpling may float a little, this is perfectly fine.
• Place the lid of your pan on at a slight angle allowing for steam to escape and set the heat to keep the water gently simmering.
• Leave to simmer for 3 hours. The water level should cover your dumpling at all times so do add more boiling water to make sure it's completely covered if required.
• Once your dumpling is cooked take your colander and place it in your sink. Carefully take your dumpling out of the pot and place it in the colander allowing any excess water to drain off. Make sure you don't move the cloth from the surface of the dumpling at this stage as you may rip the skin.
• Preheat your oven to 180°C or 356°F, approx gas mark 4.
• Once drained pick the dumpling up by the knot (carefully as it'll be hot) and place on a large chopping board or clean heat proof surface.
• Using a sharp knife or scissors and cut the string at the top of the cloot.
• Very carefully peel back the cloot from the dumpling. it is crucial at this stage that you don't remove the skin formed by the flour. We used the back of a spoon to help keep the skin attached.
• Once the cloot is removed, place your dumpling on your baking tray knot side down and pop it into your oven for 5 -10mins or until the skin has darkened. Don't be tempted to leave it in too long as this can dry out the dumpling.
• Serve with custard or cream!

CLOOTIE DUMPLING IN THE MICROWAVE

Steps:

• put the first 8 ingredeints in a microwave bowl and heat till butter has melted. add flour and baking powder and mix. then add eggs and mix well. have a 2 liter microwave safe bowl lined with plastic wrap and pour in mix. set timer for 8-9 minutes, checking and turning bowl every few minutes so that it does not get hard in places. allow to cool. enjoy with butter or plain and a nice cuppa tea.