Dampfnudeln - sweet yeast dumpling

This is recipe for sweet yeast dumplings (Dampfnudeln) the way my mum used to do for me and still does when I visit her at home. I´m not sure if it is a typical German dish with the preserved plums, but for sure it reminds me home – and that is the most important about cooking your mum´s (or dad´s) recipes.

½ Liter Milch - milk - leite
60g Hefe - yeast - fermento
3 TL Zucker - 3 tea spoons of sugar - acucar
etwas Salz - some salt - sal
750g Mehl - flour - farinha

eingemachte Pflaumen - preserved plums - ameixas em calda

Mix everything but the plums to make a nice dough. Knead with your hands till it is not sticking on your fingers any more. Put the dough in a covered bowl at a warm place and let it rise to the double size. Form fist size balls (like little leafs of bread) an let them rise another time.

It´s best to use a coated pan. Put in some oil (or butter or lard), a small cup of hot water and a little bit of salt. Try different amounts of salt to find the way you like it best.

Place the sweet yeast dumplings in the pan so that they can still rise a little more. Close the pan with the top and wait till it starts sizzling. Than take the cover of so no water drops back on the dumplings.

If they are getting too dark on the downside and are not finished on the upside you can turn them and bake from the other side as well. Don´t be frustrated if the first ones are not perfect, they are never as good as mum´s but when you cut the burnt parts off you can still have a nice meal.

Serve on a plate with preserved stone less plums and enjoy the fine combination of sweet and salty.

Andreas