Puddings-in-a-bag handed down from Irish and Scots

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Edmonds reader Pat Teller asked if readers could share a recipe for what she described as "either an English or Scots sort-of-fruitcake boiled in a bag … "

We have but one reply but, happily, it’s in good time for the holidays. Lake Stevens cook V.C. Britton writes, "In response to the request from Pat Teller, who requested a recipe for a boiled-bag fruitcake, I’m not sure if this is what she’s looking for, but hope it helps.

"It is a very old recipe from my grandmother, who was of both Scots and German descent. Although Grandmother referred to it as a pudding, it has a very cakelike texture."

Before we get to that special recipe, though, let me talk about and then share one of my own, another handed-down-in-the-family thing. It’s not precisely to Teller’s specifications, being as it’s Irish. But it, too, might do the job.

When I shared this in a March 1989 Forum column, my Aunt Faye had the original recipe — written out, no less, in the hand of my great-grandmother, Lucy Barrett.

Bless her dear heart, me dear aunt sent it to me. With a note, "Judy, I can remember helping Grandma do this. Notice what a minimum of instructions were written down, as they made it all the time. The young daughters helped in the preparation as they grew up and later they just knew how to make it themselves."

What my recipe boils down to is the pioneer, centennial-era equivalent of a traditional Irish steamed pudding. Lacking a proper "mould," cooks made do with a sack.

Later, Aunt Faye remembers, they turned the batter into syrup pails, stood the pails on wooden racks in copper wash boilers and steamed the puddings. (With a wire bail attached, other syrup pails made lunch buckets for the school-age children.)

We think my great-gram’s pudding is best cold, served with hard or soft sauce, enhanced with a touch of Irish whiskey. Or, better yet, with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Seven-cup pudding (bag pudding)

Bag for boiling pudding (or bottom of white pillow case)

Boiling water and flour for bag

1cup flour

1cup sugar

1cup currants

1cup raisins

1cup grated or ground potatoes

1cup grated or ground carrots

1cup grated suet

1teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon nutmeg

1/2teaspoon cinnamon

Other spices to taste

Boiling water

Brandy sauce or hard white sauce

Before putting pudding ingredients into bag, plunge the bag into boiling water, then into flour to coat the inside of the bag. If a suitable bag is not available, the bottom of a white pillow case can be used; the fabric needs to be firm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, currants, raisins and potatoes, carrots and suet.

Stir in the baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon or other spices to taste. Mix ingredients together thoroughly, then put into the prepared cloth bag. Secure bag at top, leaving room for expansion, and drop into boiling water. Boil for 3 hours.

Serve with brandy sauce or hard white sauce.

Lucy Barrett’s son-of-a-gun-in-a-sack

1/2cup sweet milk

1/3cup molasses

1cup fine soft bread crumbs

Small handful (about 1/2 cup) raisins, chopped

Small handful (about 1/2 cup) currants

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon cinnamon

1/2teaspoon cloves

1/2teaspoon allspice

1/2teaspoon baking soda

1/2cup finely chopped suet ( or 1/2 cup very cold butter, cut in small bits)

Flour to make a stiff dough (about 1 1/4 cups)

4lengths (14- by 16-inches each) cheesecloth and string

Boiling water

Whipped cream

Original directions: Stir together. Cook in sack in large kettle of boiling water 4 hours.

My directions: In large bowl, blend milk and molasses until well mixed. Stir in bread crumbs; set aside.

Wet cheesecloth; wring out well and stack to make a 4-layer thickness. Sprinkle center with flour; set aside.

Beat crumb mixture until smooth. Stir in raisins, currants, salt, spices and baking soda. Stir in suet or butter. Stir in flour, starting with 1 cup, adding until dough is stiff. Beat well. Turn into floured cheesecloth. Slide hands under cheesecloth and shape pudding into ball. Tie cloth with string about 3 inches above pudding. Immerse in large pot of boiling water, cover and let boil gently 4 hours. Lift sack from water, drain and cool on rack. Cut string, peel off cheesecloth. Serve pudding with whipped cream or other toppings. Makes 6 to 8 servings.