Dumplings, Help Needed

[loobie]

Hi All,Newbie here,

Just came across your site whilst looking for a recipe for Dumpling.

The only problem is my dad used to make this but he died in 87 and I'm attempting to try and make it. The recipe was not written down anywhere and I only know it as dumpling.

from what I can remember you need :-

6 small stale loaves, crusts cut off and cubed
mixed spice
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
500g currants
500g raisens
500g sultanas
500g demerera sugar...

not sure if anything else used and not sure on method, I know you soak the bread in water, squeeze out, let to dry (don't how long or what consistancy). you mix all other stuff in, wrap in foil, tie with string, put in pillowcase, tie with string and then boil for 4hrs and then bake till like sponge cake (clean knife when dipped)...

Can anyone nplease help me....

Loobie.x

[stoirmeil]

This is a bit like making bread pudding, but boiling it like an English pudding. My Dad would make something like this, with milk and egg beaten together to moisten it instead of the water (the egg binds it), but then he would bake it at 350 degrees for 45 minutes in a deep greased dish. (Delicious! How we loved it.) I went to a conference once and the hotel had a Sunday specialty dessert in the dining room: it was a bread pudding made out of all the stale leftover Danish from the week. All that rich pastry, and the bits of cherries and blueberries and apricot filling swirled through it. It was pretty, and sinfully good.

I would say let the bread soak up water (or milk) until it won't take any more, but if it's stale dry bread it will take a lot -- then let it air dry til it's quite moist but not sloppy. That will let you fold the raisins in. Honestly I don't know why it needs all that boiling before you bake it, unless there is shortening in it that you haven't mentioned, like a real English pudding that needs butter or fine suet cut into the batter.

Here's a site with a lot of old-fashioned bread pudding type recipes:
http://www.blunham.demon.co.uk/Yorksgen/Re...ml#FruitPudding

The bread pudding near the beginning sounds something like your dumpling. Maybe gaberlunzie will look in -- she's good with old-fashioned recipes.

[loobie]

Thanks stoirmeil,

Will go and have a toot at the website.....will give them ago as not having much luck at the moment.