Marillenknödel Recipe Apricot Dumplings

MARILLENKNöDEL RECIPE (APRICOT DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• First create the choux dough. Heat up a pot and melt the butter and pour in the milk + season with a pinch of salt. Mix and heat up on medium heat and bring to a boil.
• Take from the heat and add in the flour.
• Take the pot back to low heat and keep on stirring! Don't waste time at this point, stay focused because it's important that you follow this step!
• While you keep on stirring, the dough will form to a ball and at the bottom of your pot, you will notice a layer of sticky flour. If you see flour at the bottom of the pot, it is the right way and all is good.
• Place the dough into a bowl and let cool for some time.
• In the meantime, wash and pat dry your fresh Apricots. Slice into half and discard the core.
• When the dough has cooled, add the egg yolks and mix it into the dough. The dough needs to be cool or lumps will form and the ingredients won't bind.
• Shape the dough into a large sausage.
• Keep a large pot with water to boil.
• Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten with a rolling pin into flat rounds. Place the apricot into the center of a round and shape the dough around the fruit. Seal the ends of the dough well. Your dumplings should be round.
• Place the dumplings into the boiling water and cook until the dumplings swim on the surface of the water. Take them out and keep them dry.
• While the dumplings are cooking, heat up a frying pan and melt the butter and add the breadcrumbs. Mix it all well over low heat.
• Take each dumpling and drag it through the butter breadcrumbs mixture to coat evenly.
• Serve as a dessert.

AUSTRIAN APRICOT DUMPLINGS: MARILLENKNODEL

Steps:

• Place the cheese in some cheesecloth or several layers of paper towels and let it drain for 5 to 10 minutes, pressing gently, to remove excess moisture.
• With a mixer, beat the cheese until smooth. Add the egg and continue to beat until incorporated. Sprinkle in the sugar and salt, and then gradually add the flour; continue to mix until a dough begins to form. Add the melted butter and mix just until the dough holds together when patted with your hands, it will look pretty wet. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for several hours or up to overnight, the dough will stiffen as it chills.
• Using a knife, make a slit down the seam of the apricot and carefully pull out the pit, keeping the fruit in tact. Stick a sugar cube inside the apricot where the pit was and squeeze the apricot back together to close it up tightly. The sugar cube melts inside the apricot when you cook it.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface. Roll the dough out into a thin circle and cut out 12 circles with a 4-inch ring cutter. Place an apricot in the center of the dough and carefully bring the edges together to completely enclose the fruit and form a dumpling; make sure there are not any tears or holes in the dough. Working in batches, gently lower the dumplings into the simmering water; they should not be touching or crowded. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes; the dumplings will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the surface. Carefully remove the dumplings from the water with a strainer.
• In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon, cook and stir for a couple of minutes until the bread crumbs are toasty and golden. Lay the bread crumbs out on a sheet pan or plate and roll the apricot dumplings in the browned crumbs to coat evenly.
• In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, brown sugar, and lemon juice together. Serve the apricot dumplings with the sweet-sour cream sauce on the side and a dusting of confectioners' sugar if desired.

APRICOT DUMPLINGS (MARILLENKNöDEL)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 5 Tablespoons melted butter, cottage cheese, pinch of salt, eggs and enough flour to make a soft dough. Shape dough into a roll; cover and let stand 30 minutes.
• Wash and dry apricots. Cut in halves; remove and discard pit. Place 1 sugar cube between each pair of apricot halves; set aside.
• Bring water to a gentle boil; add 1 teaspoon salt.
• On a lightly floured board, press or roll out dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch squares. Place a stuffed apricot (2 halves with a sugar cube in the middle) in center of each square of dough. Press dough around fruit, covering completely. Add to gently boiling water; cook 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; arrange on a platter.
• Melt 1/3 cup butter or margarine in a medium skillet. Add breadcrumbs and 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar; sauté until golden brown. Sprinkle caramelized breadcrumbs over dumplings.