My Granny’s signature dish was Cloutie Dumpling. A Cloutie Dumpling is a sweetened fruit pudding, boiled in a cloth (clout)or cloot). The cloth is floured giving the pudding a ‘skin’.
My Granny didn’t make Christmas Pudding, she made a Dumpling at Christmas. It was also her go-to recipe as a sort of birthday cake. She still liked to make it for my Dad’s birthday. We ate it as a dessert with custard.
She would always send us home with half the dumpling. The next day my Dad would fry it in butter and dredge it with caster sugar. I have to say that it is probably my favourite way to eat it.
How Granny made Cloutie Dumpling
Granny would mix the Dumpling in her washing up bowl. She sterilised the bowl first with boiling water. She didn’t weigh anything it was a handful of this and a handful of that. And she added a whole tub of mixed spice.
We had such a laugh one Christmas when Granny put a piece of holly on top of the Dumpling and put it back in the oven to dry off after boiling (as you do).
When she took it out, the PLASTIC holly had melted in a green pool on top of the dumpling! We just scraped it off and ate the Dumpling anyway.
When Mum tried to make a Cloutie Dumpling
My Mum, who is an excellent cook and baker, tried to make Granny’s Clootie Dumpling recipe. She tried many times but she never could get it to taste the same.
Cloutie or Clootie?
There is some debate about the spelling of the clout or cloot. I have always spelled it cloutie but many recipes seem to go with clootie.
Renowned Scottish Food writer and author of The Scots Kitchen, F. Marian McNeill goes with cloutie dumpling, so I have stuck with that spelling.
Cloutie Dumpling for Breakfast
Dumpling can also be served with a full Scottish breakfast. A piece of dumpling is fried alongside the bacon, eggs, haggis, black pudding, tattie(potato) scone, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes.
Slow Cooker Scottish Cloutie Dumpling (nae clout)
I’m not sure whether it was Mum’s failure that put me off but I have only made it once. It was a success but I found that the time it takes to boil the traditional dessert is a luxury I really don’t have.
Christmas Pudding
I know I can bake cakes and puddings in the Slow Cooker as I use it for my Christmas Pudding. So I wondered whether it would be possible to cook a Clootie Dumpling in the Slow Cooker.
A slow cooker has a sort of steaming effect which I thought would work well. I decided against using a ‘clout’ and lined the Slow Cooker with a baking parchment cake liner.
Many recipes
I researched a number of different recipes for Cloutie Dumpling. Every Scots Granny seems to have her own recipe, but none uses a whole tub of mixed spice!
In the end, I decided against breadcrumbs and suet in favour of butter in this hybrid ‘Nae Clout’ (No Cloth) Cloutie Dumpling,
I’m not claiming that it’s a real Cloutie Dumpling but the smells coming from the pan and the finished texture are pretty close.
The bonus is that your kitchen isn’t full of steam and you are not constantly checking to see that there is still enough water in the pan and it hasn’t boiled dry.
How to serve Slow Cooker Cloutie Dumpling
More Scottish Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen
How to make Scotch Broth like a Scot
Black Bun, Traditional Scottish New Year Cake
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Radio Scotland’s Kitchen Cafe
I was listening to BBC Radio Scotland’s Kitchen Cafe programme last Friday, as I was on holiday from work.
The programme was all about Food Blogging and I tweeted about the Cloutie Dumpling with ‘nae clout’,
I got a mention on the programme and the tweet below from Sue Lawrence, a well-known Scottish cookery and food writer, and ex Masterchef winner.
@FarmersgirlCook @BBCKitchenCafe #cloutiedumpling without Clout! How is that poss? Baked not boiled? Look forward to being enlightened..
— Sue Lawrence (@SueHLawrence) October 31, 2014
Slow Cooker Cloutie Dumpling
Ingredients
- 350 g mixed dried fruit
- 110 g caster sugar
- 220 ml water
- 110 g butter
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 2 eggs beaten
- 110 g plain flour
- 110 g self-raising flour
Instructions
- Put the dried fruit, sugar, water, butter, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a pan and bring to the boil.
- Simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside until just warm.
- Add the eggs a little at a time alternating with spoonfuls of the flour. Mix well.
- Line your Slow Cooker with baking parchment or a cake tin liner, cook on high for 2 1/4 hours.
- Serve warm with custard.
Notes
Nutrition
I’m also entering the Slow Cooker Scottish Cloutie Dumpling with nae clout for Tea Time Treats, the monthly blogging event run alternately by Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Jane at The Hedgecombers .
Jane is hosting this month and the theme is Bonfire Night, I think a nice slice of dumpling would be perfect for bonfire night, with or without custard!
Marie says
This took me back. We always had a dumpling for Christmas and as birthday cakes. I ate mine thickly buttered but my dad would only eat it fried with a cooked breakfast. I might just have to give this a go I'll have to borrow a slow cooker though!
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Marie. It is a real blast from the past and this recipe takes all the hard work out of it.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I am craving dumpling with custard now Janice. That slow cooker has certainly been a great bit of kit for you. Nice to see you getting so creative with it.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks Jac, I do love a new gadget to play with and I'm learning so much from other people's entries to the Slow Cooker Challenge.
Lou, Eat Your Veg says
I've heard of a Cloutie Dumpling but didn't actually know what it was until I read your post Janice! Sounds really very nice, albeit possibly with less spice than your Granny added. And what a wonderful use of a slow cooker, very intriguing!
Janice Pattie says
Glad to be of service Lou! In defence of my Granny it was a big dumpling that she made, but my Mum could never bring herself to add a whole tub of mixed spice! I'm amazed at what can be made in a slow cooker, it seems to be endless.
Alison says
I have never heard of this but do love steamed puddings, although it is a faff to keep checking them. Loving the making it in a slow cooker idea, must give it a try.
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
Hmmmm – more things to do with the slow cooker as well as learning what a Cloutie Dumpling is.
Craig - The Usual Saucepans says
Wow – I haven't had Cloutie Dumpling in YEARS! My grandpa always made it for us in the winter and quite often brought one down when he came to stay at Christmas. It's great with custard, but you can't beat (the artery clogging) fried in butter and drowned in caster sugar version. I'm going to have to try make one this year – perhaps slow cooker Cloutie is the way forward though!
Jane Sarchet says
What a great idea to 'steam' puddings in the slow cooker – wouldn't that be great on xmas day when there just aren't enough hob tops to go round! Thanks so much for sharing with Tea Time Treats Janice, it's perfect bonfore fare 🙂
Janie x
Morag campbell says
Love this iv made lots give them out at Christmas as gifts they go down a treat my daughter in Australia loves making it. 10/10 fab
Janice Pattie says
Thank you so much for your kind comments, Morag. I’m delighted to hear that you’ve enjoyed the Slow Cooker Clootie Dumpling.
Heather Devlin says
It should be spelt Clootie and it is traditionally made with shredded suet which adds to the taste. The leftovers are really nice sliced and then fried in butter, some Scots like it served with bacon and eggs! I must say I am not one of them.
Janice Pattie says
Thanks, Heather. I’ve seen it spelled both ways, I guess these traditional recipes are very personal. This was a simplified version in the slow cooker. My Dad loved it fried with butter and would douse it with even more sugar afterwards! I’m not a fan of dumpling with a fried breakfast, but each to their own, I guess.
jane says
has anyone ever made mini clootie dumplings?
if so do you have a recipe and cooking details
I was hoping to make some as wedding favours
Janice Pattie says
Now there’s an interesting idea! I don’t have a recipe for mini clothe dumplings, butI might have a go at developing one.
Rachel says
Hi Janice & Jane, did you ever make mini-clooties?
I’m doing a trio of desserts for a posh-ish Burns themed Chefs Table Dinner.
Mini Clooties would be perfect xx
Janice Pattie says
Sorry, Rachel. I haven’t managed to make a mini version yet. The only thing I can suggest is to search for a Slow Cooker Christmas pudding recipe to get suitable timings and then use that with the dumpling mixture. You might need to reduce the quantities depending on how many mini puds you plan to make.
Alternatively, make the full sized dumpling and cut it into small neat squares to serve, Cloutie Dumpling freezes perfectly so you can keep the rest for later.
Outlander says
Hi All
Just use the same recipe and use smaller cloots or use the mini microwavable pudding basins, or if you can’t find any use microwave proof ramikins with foil tops or foil pie moulds with foil tops – where there’s a will there’s a way ! Just put the individual puddings on a rack to cook in a bain marie slow cooker, depending on the size they will take varying times. Say mug sized portions would take less than an hour if there were about 6 in the bain marie. I have used stainless steel tumblers (well greased) in my slow cooker fitting in 6 on a rack and they took about an hour, all with foil lids as the lids trap the steam in and give a dry top.
Liblel says
This works really well – better than I had hoped. I made one or two tiny changes which worked well. Everyone who tried it said it was delicious. I’ll definitely be making this again soon.
Janice Pattie says
I’m delighted to hear that, Libiel. It’s so nice to get your feedback and to hear that you enjoyed the Slow Cooker Dumpling.
Wee B says
My granny did the same as yours no measurements just a cup of this and a handful of the other ingredients.She would cook I on the stove for hours in a pillowcases and the dry in by a coal fire for the skin to go crusty we love it for breakfast as well with sugar after frying it .i think I will try and make it for my family this year but I’m sure it won’t be the same as granny’s dumpling.
Janice Pattie says
What a lovely memory. My Dad loved fried dumpling for breakfast too. I’m totally with you on it never tasting quite like granny made.
Nadia Oldfield says
Hi there
I want to make my Xmas eve dinner a scottish theme, and want to try making the clootie in the slow cooker – but i want to make small individual one’s – is that possible?
How would I do that?
Thanks
Nadia
Janice Pattie says
Hi Nadia, I haven’t tried cooking individual cloutie dumplings, so I can’t guarantee this will work. If you have time before Christmas you might want to have a trial run. What I would suggest is reducing the time by half. Perhaps give yourself enough time so that when you check they are done, you have at least another hour in case they are not done. Good Luck and have a lovely Christmas, let me know how you get on.
Isa says
Hi Janice,
I grew up in Stranraer, so that can’t be very far from you! Left a long time ago though.
I found your site because my daughter called this morning to ask if I thought the dumpling could be made in a slow cooker. She has to go to something at school and is worried about leaving the saucepan on with the dumpling in it while she goes out. As our recipe requires at least 4 hours cooking, and better with 5+, I’ve sent her the link to your recipe.
Our whole family loves clootie dumpling; hot, on it’s own or with yogurt, & then cold the next day, as is! However I have to hide it if I don’t want my husband to finish it before anyone else gets a look in, lol! The recipe I use was his Grandma’s, so it’s been in the family for a hundred years or more. (Not sure of the history before her.) And his family would have it for any special occasion. As the recipe is so old, with at least the 5th generation loving it now, my daughter is thankful for ‘bi-lingual’ weighing scales, i.e. measuring in both metric and imperial, lol!. (I’ve never tried to metricise the recipe – although one of us may have to before they stop making dual scales.)
We don’t fry it as it doesn’t last that long. However, MY Granny loved it that way.
Because it was so integral to my husband’s growing up, my mother-in-law taught me almost as soon as we married and I have taught my daughter & daughters-in-law.
I saw someone saying it should be made with suet which as I understand is traditional. However, our recipe uses butter which is more to our liking. And while I love suet dumplings in a stew or casserole, I find suet gives the clootie dumpling a ‘cold fatty’ taste which is definitely not so nice when it’s cold … no doubt that’s why the tradition of frying the cold dumpling came about.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble. Lovely to meet you.
Isa
Janice Pattie says
Hi Isa, thank you for sharing your family Clootie Dumpling story, Stranraer is about 90 miles from where I live, but still within the same region. It’s been a while since I visited there but I used to work in Newton Stewart for a while so know Stranraer a little.
It’s lovely to hear that your husband’s Grandma’s recipe is still being made and that it’s passing through the generations. I hope all goes well with the dumpling your daughter is making, Slow Cookers are very forgiving and as they cook by steam, they are ideal for this sort of recipe. Thanks again for your comments and I hope you will return to make more of my recipes.
Outlander says
Hi Janice
I have always made my clootie in the slow cooker, I use a microwave rice cooker inside (bain marie style) and I like to use suet and breadcrumbs for the best flavour. You can even line the dish with a floured cloot if you want to, for the ‘skin’. I don’t find that exact timing is too important as I have left one for more time before and it’s been fine, but if it’s a problem then give it the timing you have then just switch it off and leave it in the bain marie to cool down and cook slower. The winning recipe from the Sunday Post is what I normally use, but I do tweak it if I don’t have something to hand.
Janice Pattie says
That’s good to know and thank you for the tips. I’m afraid I’ve had to remove the recipe you included as I am responsible for the content on my site and as it’s not a recipe that I have tested I am not able to include it. I’m sure it is delicious but I hope you understand that this is not something I can include.
Roseleen says
Do you put any water in the slow cooker? Also, do you put it in the oven to dry?
Janice Pattie says
Hi Roseleen, you don’t need to add any water, the dumpling cooks in the steam from the pudding mixture. You also don’t need to dry it off. It’s much more like a baked pudding, but it does taste like proper dumpling.
Jessie Ratledge says
I am a Scot now living in Australia. I remember when I first started school I was taught to read by sounds the sound for Clootie Dumpling was OO as in look the OU sound was as in out. A cloth for housework was a cloot.. I am pretty sure that most Scots would pronounce it Clootie. Hope this helps you to decide what word to use. I am going to try to make the dumpling in my slow cooker but I think I will use suet.
Janice Pattie says
Hi Jessie, thanks for the update. I too pronounce it ooo as in soon. But I think spelling was not such an important thing when it was first made, so I’m going to leave it be. I hope you enjoy the dumpling 🙂