General Chat

Aunts Bessie's dumpling mix from the super market works every time. I have tried Tescos own brand but they were not nice

I know I should make them from scratch, but I can't be bothered and Aunty Bessie makes them better than me

No quite, often just drop them into the hot stew as they are....., while its still cooking.......

Butter LS??? It has to be shredded suet (packet) and self raising flour and water. No butter!!

I used butter.

I've also made them with some polenta mixed in with the flour (they were the worst!)

I'll try again this week and won't mess with them too much... and I'll let you know.

would a "scone" mixture work? Wouldn't use milk.

This is hilarious........ I can make all sorts of "fancy" stuff, but have problems with a basic, like dumplings.

Do you de-frost them first Bob ?

I usually feed in some dry paxo stuffing into mine...........I make maybe a dozen about the size of ping pong balls dust em with flour and freeze them, till needed.......then just drop half a dozen in the stew to cook in........

I have even made them in the slow cooker (turned up to high). I have used both ordinary suet and vegetarian suet and it has always worked. The liquid must be very hot when you put the dumplings in.

Well Sharron, you have taught me something new today and i have just been looking on the internet..some people use margarine and others olive oil, even sugar!

I still think the suet dumplings of my childhood must be the best...lol

Mine are one part suet to two parts SR flour + a pinch of salt.. As has been said, only a dribble of water to mix. The mixture should hold together but be dry.

Morrison`s Dumpling Mix pkt .just empty in to bowl add little water so mix is just bound together ..make sure liquid boiling in your pan .get a spoonful out depends how big you want them .drop on top of stew .don't handle them .should be good mine always are oh love`s my dumplings :-D

And I don't think they taste any different.

You really wouldn't expect me to pay for suet when I didn't need to now would you?

Sharron...

i didn't know you could make dumplings without suet :-S

I always use baking powder but no fat.

With my record on Yorkshires I err on the side of caution with dumplings.

They rise up in the moisture or steam between pan and lid.....

You only need baking powder if you are using plain flour.. :-)

Flour, baking powder, water.

Mix it together, roll it into balls and bung it in.

I don't put a lid on my stews so Stella may have a good point there.

i was wondering if you left enough room for them to rise between the pan and the lid?

If they have no room they will just get heavy and sodden in the liquid.... :-)

When I was young, we always had dumplings in stew - even when we lived in Scotland :-D
Mainly because mum had to stretch the pennies and dumplings were a cheap way of filling us up.
I love them, can make them. I don't know how, they just 'work out' - maybe you're trying too hard.
I don't make them now because I'm prone to putting on weight :-S

Ever thought of making a cobbler instead? :-D

i don't touch mine or lift the lid once they are in the pan...and i only cook them for 20 mins.. they are always light and fluffy... i mix them the same way as Pat.