Apricot Dumplings & Plum Dumplings

Marillenknödel are little Austrian dumplings, filled with apricots and sugar, rolled in toasted breadcrumbs and dusted powdered sugar. This recipe can be used to make both Apricot Dumplings and Plum Dumplings!

These are perfect dessert or snack on a rainy summer evening! Knödel can be made with either a potato based dough or a quark based dough. This recipe is made with quark or greek yogurt because it is quick and simple. One of the best parts of this recipe is that it is a small batch because they taste best when eaten immediately but if you’re serving lots of people it can be scaled up very easily. If you can’t find quark at your store, I have a recipe for quark so you can make it at home!

Marillen vs. Aprikosen?

These dumplings are most traditionally called Marillenknödel but they are filled with what we call Aprikosen (apricots) – so what’s the difference. Well, truthfully there isn’t a difference, Marillen and Aprikosen both refer to an apricot they are just called something different depending on where you live. However, in Germany, apricots or marillen are generally smaller than they are here in the US.

Can Plum Dumplings be made in advance?

No, I would not recommend making these in advance. They definitely taste best immediately after being removed from the water bath when they are still hot. That’s not to say that you can’t store left overs in the fridge and heat them up in the microwave the next day – but if you are serving them to guests you probably want to make them fresh.

What kind of bread crumbs should be used for knödel?

I have found that plain, unseasoned bread crumbs work best. You can make your own by letting bread dry out and then pulsing it in a food processor (beware this is really loud!) or you can buy them at the grocery store. Panko bread crumbs work too but they have a slightly different texture. Traditionally, semmel brösel are used, which are the bread crumbs from semmeln (German buns), but unfortunately those are almost impossible to find here in the US.

How can I tell if the Apricot Dumplings are fully cooked?

The best way to tell, is that the apricot or plum dumplings will start floating when they are finished cooking! Sometimes they won’t be bouncy, floating at the top but they won’t be sitting at the bottom of the pot anymore.

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Tips for making Plum Dumplings

• Mix the dough well. Unlike cookie dough, which will get tough when over mixed, this dough wants to be really well mixed to the point where it holds together in a ball in the center of the bowl and no longer readily sticks to the side of the bowl.
• Be sure that the plums or apricots are fully enclosed in the dough, this will prevent water from seeping in and the plum juice from leaking out.
• Once the apricots are fully enclosed in the dough, roll them around in your hands (make sure to use plenty of flour) as though you are making a snow ball, to make sure the dough is evenly distributed around the apricot or plum.
• Don’t freak out if one of them tears as you remove them from the water, they will still taste great! Plus, once you add the butter, bread crumb, sugar mixture on top, no one will notice.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt: Traditionally marillenknödel are made with quark but if you can’t find it use greek yogurt or sour creaminstead.
• All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for these plum dumplings! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
• Cream of Wheat: Cream of wheat acts similarly to oats – so it absorbs some of the liquid in the dough and helps hold everything together. You can also substitute it with semolina.
• Butter: Melted butter is used in the dough and more butter is used in the breadcrumb topping.
• Sugar: These dumplings have a small amount of granulated sugar in the batter and a little bit in the bread crumb mixture. I love to top them with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of this Vanilla Custard Sauce.
• Apricots of Plums: For best results, use ripe fruit. These will make it easier to pit them as well as give the knödel better flavor.
• Bread Crumbs: The breadcrumbs are toasted in a pan with butter and sugar and then mixed with cinnamon sugar for the topping. Be careful – you’ll probably want to eat it all but make sure to save it for the dumplings. Using plain unseasoned bread crumbs is best.
• Cinnamon Sugar: Cinnamon sugar is used in this recipe for the filling of the plums or apricots. They are also traditionally made with a sugar cube in the center of the fruit.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a little bit of extra flavor to the dough.

How to make Plum Dumplings

Make the Dough

• In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla.
• Add in the flour and cream of wheat and stir together with a fork until a crumbly mixture forms. Stir in the yogurt or quark to create a thick dough. Dump the dough out onto the counter and knead until smooth and combined.
• Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Breadcrumb topping

• In a large pan, combine the breadcrumbs, sugar, and butter. Heat over medium heat and stir frequently until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the breadcrumbs into a large shallow bowl or plate for later.

Shape Plum or Apricot Dumplings

• Add water to a large pot until it is at least 6″ deep, it needs to be deep enough for the knödel to be fully submerged. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the water and bring it to a boil over high heat.
• While the water heats up, assemble the plum dumplings.
• Use the end of a spoon or a straw to press through the top of each fruit (where the stem would be) into the center of the apricot or plum where you will hit the pit. If the fruit is ripe enough you should be able to push a little harder and have the pit pop out through the bottom. If your apricots are still a little hard, use an apple corer to remove the pit. Or cut the fruit down the crack and pull the pit out.
• Divide the rested dough it into 3 equal portions.
• Pat each portion out into approximately a 4″ wide disk. Place one apricot or plum in the center of each disk. Pour 1-2 tsp of the cinnamon sugar into the center hole of each fruit. Gently bring up all sides of the dough, up and around the apricot or plum, and pinch them shut at the top. The fruit should now be fully enclosed in the dough.
• Gently roll the dumpling between your hands in a circular motion to round out the ball and evenly distribute the dough around the apricot. Repeat with each dumpling.

Cooking the Dumplings

• Once the water is boiling and the dumplings have all been formed, turn the heat down to medium/high. Gently lower each dumpling into the water with a large spoon – leaving at least a few inches between each one. Set a timer for 15 minutes and leave the dumplings to cook in the water.
• Carefully stir the dumplings around in the beginning to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• The water should be simmering. After 15 minutes, the plum dumplings should be floating around in the water, this will indicate that the dumplings are fully cooked.

Finishing touches

• When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove each dumpling from the water and place them, one at a time, into the bowl with toasted breadcrumbs.
• Very gently press the crumbs on to the dumplings.
• Serve them warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and optionally a drizzle of Vanille Soße.

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