Sweet yeast dumplings with spiced plums

Total: 2 hr 40 min. | Active: 40 min.
vegetarian

When the sweet aroma of freshly-baked yeast dough fills the house, it takes us straight back to our childhood. "Dampfnudel" were high up on the list of favourite foods and were baked every year as a birthday treat. Over many generations this dish, which hails from Southern Germany, earned a permanent place in the family kitchen repertoire. Traditionally, they are served with vanilla custard, but the sweet and fruity flavour of the spiced plums goes just as well with these fluffy dumplings.

Corinne and Bettina - nom-nom

Ingredients

for 8 person

Yeast dough
250 g white flour
1 pinch salt
80 g sugar
20 g yeast, crumbled
40 g butter, soft
1 dl milk, lukewarm
1  egg (large)
1  organic lemon, use grated zest only
Sauce
2 ½ dl milk
3 tbsp sugar
40 g butter
Spiced plums
2 dl water
150 g cane sugar
1  cinnamon stick
1  star anise
1  bay leaf
½ tsp ginger, grated
600 g plums, halved, pitted
To bake
  icing sugar to dust

How it's done

Yeast dough

Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Add the butter, milk, egg and lemon zest, mix. Knead to form a soft, smooth dough. Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for approx. 1 hr. until doubled in size.

Sauce

Heat the milk, sugar and butter in a small pan, pour half of the mixture into the prepared dish. Divide the dough into 8 portions, shape into balls, place next to each other in the dish. Cover and leave to rise for approx. 30 mins.

Spiced plums

Bring the water to the boil along with the sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaf and ginger. Add the plums, simmer gently for approx. 10 mins. until soft. Serve lukewarm with the sweet dumplings.

To bake

Approx. the dumplings 20 mins. in the centre of an oven preheated to 200°C. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, bake for approx. 10 mins. Remove from the oven, dust with icing sugar.

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