ingredients
serves 6
6 cooking (tart) apples
1/3 cup (75 g) 3oz Demerara (raw) sugar
6 cloves
suet crust pastry
1 1/2 cups (150 g) 5 oz plain flour (All purpose)
3/4 level tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
65 g (2 1/2 oz) shredded suet
flour for rolling out
method
1. Make the pastry. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the suet, then add enough cold water (about 75 - 125 ml/3 - 4 fl oz) to make a soft but not sticky dough.
2. Divide the suet pastry into 6 portions.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to a round.
4. Core and peel the apples, and put one in the centre of each round.
5. Work the pastry around each apple until it almost meets at the top.
6. Fill each core hole with sugar and stick a clove upright in the middle of each apple.
7. Dampen the edges of the pastry, work it up to cover the apple and seal well, leaving the clove exposed.
8. Tie each dumpling in a small well floured pudding cloth.
9. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the dumplings and boil gently for 40 - 50 minutes.
10. Drain well and serve with cream or custard.
