Marillen Knödel-Apricot Dumplings
While making the second batch of dumplings, I found a trick on youtube on how to remove the apricot pit. Gently press a wooden spoon lengthwise through the apricot, beginning where the stem of the apricot was (the little black dot) and push the pit out the other side. If this scares you, cut them in half leaving them intact. The best apricots for the dumplings are small to medium sized. Make sure the fruit is covered tightly with the dough and has no creases. Form them with your hands. If you want them sweeter, sprinkle them with powdered sugar. I kept some of the dough covered overnight in the fridge. I think it didn't make that much difference. However, the dumplings should be eaten as soon as they are made. Some recipes call for a sugar cube, which I used for two of them. I personally prefer Turbinado raw cane sugar, but I think brown sugar will also be fine.
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Ingredients
(makes 6 to 8 dumplings depending on the size of the apricots) ½ pound quark 1 tsp lemon zest 6-8 apricots 6 sugar cubes or raw cane sugar 3/4 cup (75g) semolina flour 2 TBS (30g) soft butter 1 egg yolk at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract a pinch of salt a scant ½ cup (50g) of all-purpose flour (plus more for forming) For the breadcrumb coating: ½ cup of fine breadcrumbs 4 TBS butter powdered sugar or sugar mixed with cinnamon (optional) 
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Directions
In a fine mesh sieve, drain the quark for an hour. Wash and dry the apricots. Remove the pits with a wooden spoon or cut them along their seams halfway. I prefer the wooden spoon method. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add ½ tsp salt. In a large bowl, cream together the soft butter and egg yolk, add the strained quark, vanilla extract, semolina, salt, lemon zest and mix well. When the dough is well mixed and fluffy, fold in the flour. Do not over mix. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and with flour-covered hands, form a log. Cut the log into 6-8 pieces. I covered three leftover pieces and put them in the refrigerator to use the following day. Some of the recipes recommend to rest the dough, but I didn't taste any difference. Add the sugar to the apricot where the pit was. With your floured hands, form a round disk with each piece. Take the disk into your hands and add an apricot in the center, then cover the apricot completely with the dough making sure all the creases are sealed when forming them into dumplings. Gently slip the dumplings into the boiling salted water, reduce the heat and simmer them at low heat for 12 -14 minutes. Stir the apricots gently to make sure none of them get stuck at the bottom of the pot. They will stick if you don't stir them in the beginning. The dumplings will rise to the top. It is a little tricky to know when the apricots are done to your taste. I don't like mine mushy, but I don't like them raw. Some cooks will test their apricots by sticking a needle into them . I did not do that. In the meantime, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and toast them for several minutes. Remove the dumplings with a skimmer and roll them in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings. Dust the dumplings with powdered sugar if you wish to or a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Serve them warm. They taste the best when they are eaten right away. Recipe by Delicious Days and The Wednesday Chef adapted by ©Sunnycovechef |