Germknödel (Plum and Poppy Seed Dumpling)
Photo: Original uploader was Austria3 at en.wikibooks, CC BY-SA 3.0
Germknödel is a yeast dumpling from Viennese and Bohemian cooking, steamed soft and filled with plum jam. The traditional filling is powidl, a dark plum jam cooked down for a full day, whose tartness cuts through the sweet, pillowy dough. Here the dumplings simmer under a closed lid, which keeps them light. They are finished with ground poppy seeds, powdered sugar and melted butter or vanilla custard, so each bite is sweet, nutty and rich.
Instructions
Stir the flour, salt, sugar, egg, egg yolk and vanilla together in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk the yeast into the lukewarm milk until it has fully dissolved.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour and knead in the softened butter until the dough comes together. If it feels too sticky to handle, work in a little more flour.
Cover the bowl and leave the dough to rise for about one hour, until it has doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces and pat each one into a flat round about 4 inches across. Put a tablespoon of plum jam in the center of each, then fold the dough around it into a ball. Pinch the seam shut completely so the jam cannot leak.
Set the dumplings on a board, cover them with a dishtowel and let them rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Lower the dumplings into the water, about 4 at a time, so each has room to swell. Put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep the lid on throughout, because lifting it stops the dumplings from rising properly.
Lift the cooked dumplings out and place them in a bowl. Top with ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar, then pour melted butter or vanilla custard sauce over them. Serve right away.
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