Cloutie Dumpling with Ginger Cream

Directions

Sieve the flour and mix it with the breadcrumbs, brown sugar and spices.

Melt the butter or vegetable fat gently with the treacle. Mix the breadcrumbs, currants and sultanas.

Beat the egg and milk together and add to the dry ingredients, with the grated carrot and apple - use you hands.

Add more milk if necessary to give a soft mixture which drops easily from the spoon.

Put a square of cotton sheet in the pot of boiling water with an upturned plate on the bottom.

Take out the scalded cloth, spinkle it with flour and put in the dumpling.

Draw up the edges, and tie up firmly with white string, leaving enough room for the pudding to expand.

Lower the dumpling back into the boiling pan. Keep water topped up. Bring back to the boil.

Boil steadily but gently for 4 hours. It can be longer but it shouldn’t be less. Remove the dumpling and dip it staight in and out of cold water.

Unwrap the dumpling on to a serving plate. The skin will initially be white from the flour.

Put the dumpling on its plate in a very low oven to dry off for 20 minutes, when it will develop a fine, dark glossy skin.

Meanwhile, make the ginger cream. Beat the wine with the egg yolks over hot water until the mixture is thick, white and fluffy. Stir in ¼ pint single cream.

Serve it in a pretty glass jug, with the hot pudding. The dumpling cuts wonderfully rich and dark. Leftover slices are delicious fried in butter - lovely with cream for a special tea-time treat.