Topfenknoedel Recipes

TOPFENKNOEDEL WITH STEWED RED PLUMS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer. Stir together cheese, eggs and yolks, and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in flour and 5 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Using 2 wet soup spoons, shape a spoonful of the mixture into a 2-inch-long oval, and drop it into simmering water. Cook until it rises to the surface, about 2 minutes, then continue to cook for 3 1/2 minutes more. Repeat. You can cook 4 to 5 dumplings at a time, removing them with a slotted spoon when finished.
• Divide dumplings among individual serving bowls. Sprinkle each dumpling with about 1 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Divide plums and syrup among bowls. Serve immediately.

TOPFENKNODEL

Steps:

• Pour light cream over diced white bread, allow to soak in, stir until smooth. Beat together butter and egg yolks until foamy, add cottage cheese and salt, fold in white bread soaked in cream.
• Whip egg whites, add to mixture, then carefully fold in flour and semolina. Let mixture sit in refrigerator for about one hour. Form small round dumplings, drop these into simmering, lightly salted water, turn off heat, let dumplings heat for about 12 minutes.
• In a small skillet, fry the fresh breadcrumbs in the butter until toasty and fragrant.
• Toss finished dumplings in buttered breadcrumbs and serve with choice of fruit sauce(s): strawberry, raspberry, apricot, etc.

TOPFENKNOEDEL

Steps:

• (Takes 1 hr 15 minutes to prepare, plus 2 hrs resting - but easy to prepare ahead) Strain the curd by placing it on a clean kitchen towel and expressing as much superfluous liquid as possible. Put the brioche in a food processor and produce fine crumbs. Split open the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Mix the butter and the sugar in a large bowl, add the curd, egg, egg yolk, vanilla seeds and the crumbs. (Add the zest here, if using). Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Prepare the crumbs for rolling the dumplings in: melt the butter in a pan, add the sugar and crumbs and fry over a medium heat until golden brown. If lumps form, be sure to separate them by simply rubbing them between your hands after cooling. For the compote clean the rhubarb and cut into 3-4 cm sticks. Caramelise 60 g of the sugar in a pan, add the orange juice to deglaze, then add the rhubarb and cinnamon. Leave to cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft. Lift the rhubarb with a slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl. Wash and dry the strawberries, cut in quarters and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the thickening granules or dissolve the corn flour in some water and add to the mixture. Boil enough for the sauce to thicken slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick. Pour over the rhubarb and add the strawberries. When you're ready to serve, heat some salt water in a big pot, the dumplings will need space to roam. Wet your hands and form the dough into 12 even dumplings (balls). Add to the simmering water, turn down the heat and leave to cook for around 10 minutes until they return to the surface. Lift with a slotted spoon, roll in the crumbs mixture, dust with icing sugar and serve with the compote.

SWEET BREADCRUMBS FOR TOPFENKNOEDEL

Steps:

• Pulse brioche in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have 1 cup breadcrumbs).
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in sugar. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool slightly. Stir to break up any lumps. Let cool completely. Breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.