Watch our historic foodways staff cook this recipe, then try it at home
Dumplings are usually thought of as savory in flavor. This recipe sends your taste buds in the opposite direction with raspberry jam, butter and sugar.
18th Century
Make a good cold paste, roll it a quarter of an inch thick, and spread over it raspberry-jam to your own liking, roll it up and boil it in a cloth one hour at least; take it up and cut it into five slices, and lay one in the middle and the other four round it; pour a little good melted butter in the dish, and grate fine sugar round the edge of the dish. It is proper for a corner or side for dinner.
— Hannah Glasse, “The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" 1796.
21st Century
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of flour, plus a little more for processing
- 1 lb. of butter
- 1 egg
- Cold water to make the paste (crust)
- Large jar of red raspberry jam
- ¼ cup sugar
- Old bed sheet material
Instructions
N.B. You can buy sheet pie crust if you like but it will be better to make your own in this case.
- In a medium bowl sift your flour. Take a…“ of the pound of butter and cut it into the flour. Work it with your fingers and hands until it is incorporated.
- Whip the egg thoroughly and add about ½ to a…” cup of the water and whip it well with the egg.
- Add the egg/water to the flour/butter and work it with your hands to make your crust. If it is a little dry add a little more water. If it is tacky add just a little flour in your hands to take that away.
- Once you’ve made your crust roll it into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Place pats of butter on one half of the crust, dust lightly with flour, fold over to cover the butter, roll out again and repeat until another a…“ of the butter is layered into the crust. The last rolling should be at least ¼ inch thick.
- Spread your jam over the surface of the crust evenly.
- Gently roll it up into a pinwheel type “log”.
- Lay it on one end of the sheet material (having sheet overlap on both sides of crust) and gently roll it up in the sheet.
- Tie the ends tightly with string and one or two very gently around the middle to hold the material on.
- Bring water to boil in a stew-pan.
- When it starts to boil gently place the dumpling in and boil gently for 45 minutes to an hour. Make sure water covers the dumpling as it boils.
- Take it out with tongs on both ends and let it cool for about 15 minutes.
- Slowly and carefully unroll it to get off the cloth.
- Cut in 5 equal slices and lay on a plate as described in the original recipe.
- Pour melted butter over the slices and sprinkle sugar around the plate.