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I have covered several versions of dumplings on my blog already: Dumplings from Bread / Rolls, Potato Dumplings, Pretzel Dumplings, Dampfnudeln … and there are so many variations of each. The plum dumplings in this post are a bit of a mix of potato dumplings (the potato dough and simmering) and dampfnudeln (the sweet filling). I’ve also seen recipes where dampfnudeln were made with a plum in it, instead of plum spread. That is a different recipe than the one I am showing you in my video.
Which Type of Plums to Use
The most common type of plums that we use are sugar plums, apparently also known as Italian plums or prunes here in the US. Those plums have a good size, you can easily remove the stone and they have a sweet taste. You can also use the other, larger plums. They require more dough to wrap around so you will most likely only get half of the amount of dumplings with this recipe. Just keep that in mind.
Which Type of Potatoes to Use
As of the potatoes that work best, you should use starchy potatoes. In the US the variety of Russet potatoes is known to be very starchy. The Golden Potatoes have a good amount of starch, too, and will also work.
Make sure that you don’t “overwork” starchy potatoes when mashing or kneading them. If you work them too much, the starch will get out and turn the mass into a sticky, gluey mess.
Dumplings, filled with fruits like plums or apricots are a beloved summer and fall dish in South Germany and in Austria. They are called Pflaumenknödel / Zwetschgen Knödel if made with plums and Aprikosen Knodel / Marillenknödel if made with apricots.
INGREDIENTS
For the Potato Dough
- 300 g Potatoes starchy i.e. Russet
- 30 g Butter unsalted, melted
- 120 g Flour all purpose
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 30 g Semolina Flour
- Salt
For the Filling & Serving
- 8 Plums or Apricots see text above
- 8 Sugar Cubes
- 90 g Butter
- 150 g Plain Bread Crumbs
- some Confectioners Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Peel and boil the Potatoes until soft.
- Let the potatoes cool to the touch, then mash them.
- Add the flour, semolina flour, egg yolks, and butter, and then first with a spoon and later with your hands, mix it into a smooth dough. Don’t overwork the dough to prevent it becoming gooey.
- Shape the dough into a log and divide into eight portions (maybe less if your fruits are large).
- Take one of the plums or apricots, remove the stone and replace it with a sugar cube.
- Wrap one dough portion around the fruit, close the seam well and repeat with the remaining fruits and dough.
- Fill a large pot with water and add a bit of salt, bring to a simmer and add the dumplings.
- Let the dumplings simmer for about 13 to 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan.
- Add the bread crumbs and stir. Fry until golden.
- Serve the dumplings on a bowl or on a plate with the bread crumbs on the bottom. You can put some bread crumbs on top of the dumpling or roll it in them entirely to cover it.
- Sprinkle some confectioners sugar on top.
- Tip: If you want things a bit more sweet, mix some confectioners sugar in the golden bread crumbs.
