In the late 90’s, there was a series on PBS called ‘Great Chefs’. This series of cooking shows was so popular that they began a franchise dedicated to highlight talented Chefs from all over the USA. It began with Great Chefs of San Francisco, then Chicago, then New Orleans…well, you get the idea. When the series moved to the Discovery Channel, they consolidated the franchise into 2 separate series: one was called Great Chefs of America and the other was called Great Chefs of the World.
I wasn’t usually home in the early afternoons when the show aired, but if I was, I always tried to catch it. On one particular afternoon they happened to be in Austria– and since Austria is one of my favorite places in the world, I could not wait to see what they were going to make. As I watched with anticipation, I discovered that the topic of the day was going to be dumplings!
Making a great dumpling is easy if you know the tricks, and the chef made a basic dough that he used for both sweet and savory dishes. When I was in Austria, I enjoyed a light and fluffy savory version that was served next to a marinated leg of lamb with a delicate gravy, but I had never had a sweet dumpling before. In the episode, he filled it with a chunky plum filling that he made, then boiled them and rolled them in toasted bread crumbs.
Over the years, I have seen this similar dessert in other eastern European countries and have even seen them filled with fresh fruit and other homemade jams. The dessert dumplings are great to make as a Lenten dessert and are always loved by all. You can use fresh pieces of fruit inside your dough, like strawberries, apricots or peaches if you don’t like plums…anything that is fleshy.
I like to roll them in the bread crumbs that also have some cinnamon sugar added to it. I find that the cinnamon sugar adds a little something extra. If you are enjoying them during Lent you can have them as is, or if you want to highlight them as a unique dessert at any other time of the year you can serve them with a delicate anglais sauce topped with more fruit compote for a little something extra.
Really, what’s not to love about this adorable dessert…
Dessert Dumplings
3 medium potatoes, steamed and riced (about 3 cups)
1-1 1/4 cup cake four
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
½ teaspoon baking powder
Toasted bread crumbs:
½ cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons oil
Fleshy fruit pieces or your favorite jam
4 cups water plus 2 tablespoons vanilla
Boil or stem the potatoes and pass them through a ricer and allow them to cool. Add the egg, salt and oil and mix well.
Sift in the cake four with the baking powder until it just comes together in a ball. DO NOT OVER MIX. Being gentle with the dough will yield great results. Cover with plastic wrap and allow this to rest for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the fruit you would like to use and set aside. Then add the oil to a small sauté pan and add the bread crumbs. Toast them gently in the oil until they turn a light golden color. Place them in a small bowl and add the sugar and the cinnamon.
Using an ice cream scoop, take some dough and then make a hole in the dough. Place the fruit in the hole and close it up. Scoop out the dough into your hand and roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining fruit and dough, cover them and set them aside.
Boil 4 cups of water in a medium sized stock pot. When the water comes to a rolling boil, turn it down to a slow simmer. Gently add in the dumplings and don’t worry if they sink to the bottom, they are supposed to do that. Once they are cooked they will float to the top, it should take about 8-10 minutes depending on the size. Use a slotted spoon and remove them onto a plate and then toss them in the sweetened bread crumbs. Serve warm.
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