Clootie Dumpling

After reading some of Miller's very droll reviews today I had to post this in his honour.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 1 pudding

Ingredients

• 450  g plain flour
• 225  g currants or 225  g sultanas
• 225  g raisins
• 115  g  shredded suet or 1  packet suet mix
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 5  teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  egg
• 1  apple, grated
• 450  ml milk

Directions

1. one large square of cotton or linen cloth is needed as a pudding cloth.
2. Mix all the ingredients together with enough milk to make a “not too wet mixture”.
3. Drop linen cloth in boiling water, using tongs remove and wring out excess moisture.
4. Sprinkle the cloth with flour.
5. Put the dumpling mixture into the centre of the cloth and tie securely with twine.
6. Don’t leave too much room in the cloth or the dumpling will split.
7. Place the dumpling into a large saucepan of boiling water and simmer for 3 hours.
8. Make sure the water level is topped up with more hot water to about half way up the side.
9. The dumpling should be covered with water.
10. It is a good idea to use a heat-proof plate in the bottom of the pot to keep the dumpling off the pot base.
11. When ready, put dumpling on a wooden breadboard and carefully remove cloth.
12. Put plate on top and turn over.
13. Put in a warm oven for 10 minutes.
14. Turn dumpling onto a clean plate and put into oven for a further 10 minutes.
15. Note: Double the amount requires four hours' boiling.