Marillenknödel
Tender sweet dumplings enclosing whole fresh apricots, coated in spiced toasted breadcrumbs, known as canederli di albicocche in Italian.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Wide frying pan
- •Slotted spoon
- •Mixing bowl
- •Paring knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 12 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Beat the softened butter, egg, and salt together in a mixing bowl until smooth and pale.
- 2
Stir in the quark or drained ricotta until completely combined with the butter mixture.
- 3
Fold in the plain flour gradually to form a soft, slightly tacky dough.
- 4
Cover the bowl and rest the dough in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.
- 5
Cut a small slit along one side of each apricot to remove the stone.
- 6
Insert a single sugar cube into the cavity of each pitted apricot.
- 7
Divide the chilled dough into eight equal portions on a lightly floured surface.
- 8
Flatten each portion into a disc, wrap around an apricot, and pinch seams firmly shut.
- 9
Roll gently between damp palms to form smooth, completely sealed round dumplings.
- 10
Lower the dumplings into a wide pan of gently simmering salted water.
- 11
Simmer over low heat for twelve to fifteen minutes until they float and feel light.
- 12
Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan, add breadcrumbs, and fry until golden and fragrant.
- 13
Stir the caster sugar and ground cinnamon into the warm toasted breadcrumbs.
- 14
Lift the dumplings with a slotted spoon, roll generously in the breadcrumbs, and serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Ensure the curd or ricotta is drained completely of whey so the dough remains tender without requiring excess flour. Always keep the water at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil to prevent the dumplings from splitting apart.
Ingredient substitutions
- quark → well-drained whole milk ricotta or dry curd farmer's cheese
- sugar cubes → small teaspoon of marzipan or a pinch of caster sugar tucked into each fruit
Storage
Best enjoyed immediately, but cooked dumplings can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one day.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a steamer for five minutes, then re-roll in freshly toasted buttered breadcrumbs.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Leaving gaps in the dough seam, which allows water to enter and makes the dumpling soggy.
- •Using overly soft or overripe apricots that collapse and release excessive liquid during cooking.
- •Boiling the water violently, causing the delicate quark casing to tear.
Serving suggestions
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