Recipe
Scottish Fruit Pudding
A dense Scottish fruit pudding packed with dried fruit, brown sugar and cinnamon, steamed in a sausage shape, sliced and fried until golden.
Ingredients
Method
25 mins prep105 mins cook130 mins total
Mix the oatmeal, flour, suet, brown sugar, currants, raisins, sultanas, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
Pour in most of the water and mix to make a firm, shapeable dough. Add the remaining water a little at a time only if the mixture feels dry.
Shape the mixture into a compact sausage about 20cm long. Wrap it tightly in a large sheet of baking parchment, then wrap it again in foil, sealing the ends well.
Place the parcel on a trivet or in a steamer over a pan of simmering water. Cover and steam for 1½ hours, topping up the water when necessary.
Carefully unwrap the pudding and leave it to cool until firm enough to slice. For the neatest slices, chill it before frying.
Cut the pudding into slices about 1cm thick. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the slices for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and heated through.
Serve the slices as part of a cooked Scottish breakfast, or warm with custard for a simple dessert.
Notes
The pudding is easiest to slice neatly after it has cooled and chilled.
Use vegetable suet for a vegetarian version, checking the suet and any other ingredients are suitable for your dietary requirements.
The steamed pudding can be cooled, wrapped and chilled for up to 3 days before slicing and frying.
About this recipe
This traditional Scottish fruit pudding is a rich, fruity sausage-shaped mixture made with oatmeal, suet, brown sugar and warming cinnamon.
Steam it until firm, then slice and fry the pieces until golden. It is best known as an optional part of a cooked Scottish breakfast, but can also be served warm as a simple pudding.
