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Grandma’s Christmas Pudding
(Clootie Dumpling)


First: Put on a large pot of water to boil, then find a linen serviette (35cm sqr) or the same size piece of new washed calico, a long piece kitchen string & a pair of tongs.

1 heaped breakfast cup plain white flour
½ cup white breadcrumbs
1 tbl spoon oatmeal
½ cup chopped Dates
¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup mixed cake fruit
1 heaped tsp baking soda
1 heaped tsp mixed spice
½ tsp cardamon
1dsp treacle
1dsp black currant jam
1tblsp butter
1 large egg
2 tblsp milk
Brandy
1 tsp Angostura bitters

Place flour, breadcrumbs, oatmeal, sugar, soda, spice & chopped butter in bowl.
Rub butter in till mixture is crumb texture.
Add fruit
Beat egg, add milk, treacle, jam & Angostura; mix together then add to flour & fruit mix.
Add brandy to make a moist consistency.
Using tongs, dip cloth into boiling water spread on wooden board & sprinkle well with flour (this stops water seeping into mix) place pudding mix on top & tie cloth tightly with string, leaving enough room for the pudding to double in size.
Holding the string; lower the pudding into vigorously boiling water & boil for 2 hours.
Keep a jug of boiling water on hand to add to the pot if needed.
Make sure it is boiling as the pudding must never go off the boil.
When cooked lift out with tongs & hang till dry.
Hang on clothes line every fine day till hard as a board.
If any part is left damp mold will invade.

To reheat have water boiling vigorously, lower pudding in & boil 1 hour lift out cut string. Gently peal off cloth.
Heat 1/4 cup Brandy in small pot till warm pour over pudding & light with a match –carry flaming to table.
Pour on Brandy sauce slice & serve with pouring cream or Brandy cream.

Brandy sauce;
Bring 11/2 cups of water & 2 tblsps brown sugar to boil
Thicken with 2dsps cornflour mixed with a little cold water.
Take off heat & add 1 dessert spoon butter & ¼ cup brandy stir with whisk.