Clootie Dumpling

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks again to Rosemary Zwick of The Land of Countless Food
Funnies, (otherwise known as Cape Town, South Africa) for this one:

John and Harry go camping and pack a cooler with sandwiches and
beer. After three hours of walking they arrive at a great spot but
realize they've forgotten a bottle opener. John turns to Harry and
says, "You've gotta go back and get the opener or else we'll have no
beer."

"No way," says Harry. "By the time I get back, you will have eaten
all the sandwiches."

"I promise I won't," says John. "Just hurry!"

Ten hours pass and there's still no sign of Harry. Exasperated and
starving, John digs into the sandwiches. Suddenly, Harry pops out
from behind a rock and yells, "I knew it! I'm not going any more!"

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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The "clootie" in the name of this classic Scottish dessert refers to
the "cloot," or cloth it is boiled in. It is often served with a
custard sauce, but is also great just with a dusting of powdered
sugar.

Clootie Dumpling

3 cups (750 ml) all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1 cup (250 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
6 oz (1 1/2 sticks, 165 g) cold butter cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) golden raisins (sultanas)
3/4 cup (180 ml) dried currants or raisins
2 Tbs (30 ml) molasses (treacle)
2 eggs, beaten
Grated zest of 1 orange or lemon
About 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into
the dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Stir in the
remaining ingredients, adding enough milk to make a stiff batter.
Dip a clean cotton dish towel into boiling water and dust liberally
on one side with flour. Place the batter in the center of the cloth
and tie the corners together around the batter, leaving a little
room for expansion - be sure to use a towel large enough to
completely surround the batter, and use kitchen twine to help tie it
shut if desired. Place the cloth on top of a trivet or inverted pie
plate in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce
the heat, cover the pot, and boil gently for 3 hours, adding more
water as needed to keep the pudding completely submerged. Remove
the cloth from the water and allow to drain and cool before removing
from the cloth and placing on a serving platter. Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Fri Jun 10 07:39:44 2005