Marillenknödel (Austrian Apricot Dumplings)

Step 1

Place 1 lb of unpeeled potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until a fork pierces the largest potato with no resistance, about 18-20 minutes. The potatoes should be fully tender but not falling apart. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 2

While the potatoes cool, cut 8 fresh apricots in half along their seam and remove the pit. Pat each half dry with a paper towel — this prevents excess moisture from making the dough soggy.

Step 3

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, peel away the skin and pass the flesh through a ricer or potato mill onto a clean work surface. You should have roughly 1.5 cups of riced potato. Let it cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Make a well in the center of the riced potatoes. Crack 1 large egg into the well and scatter 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 0.5 tsp of fine sea salt, and 0.25 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg over the top. Using your hands, gently fold and mix until a soft, unified dough forms. Do not overwork — the dough should be tender and slightly sticky, not tough. If it sticks too much to your hands, dust with a little extra flour.

Step 5

Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of salted water and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat — it should maintain a steady bubble, not a rolling boil, which can break the delicate dumplings.

Step 6

Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, gently flatten it into a 3-inch disk in your palm. Place one apricot half, cut-side up, in the center and top with one sugar cube or marzipan cube. Wrap the dough around the fruit and sugar, sealing it completely and smoothing the surface with your hands. The dumplings should look like small domes with no cracks. Set each finished dumpling on the floured surface.

Step 7

Using a slotted spoon, carefully slide the dumplings one at a time into the gently simmering water. They will sink at first. Once all 8 are in the water, wait for them to float to the surface, which takes 2-3 minutes. Then let them simmer for another 3-4 minutes — they should bob gently on the surface. A dumpling is done when it feels tender but holds its shape when pressed gently with the spoon.

Step 8

While the dumplings simmer, prepare the cinnamon-sugar topping: Melt 4 tbsp of unsalted butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Once foaming, add 0.5 cup of panko breadcrumbs and stir frequently until they turn deep golden brown and smell toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning. Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and immediately toss with 3 tbsp of granulated sugar and 0.5 tsp of ground cinnamon.

Step 9

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked dumplings to a shallow serving bowl or individual dessert bowls. Work gently to avoid breaking them. Spoon the warm cinnamon-breadcrumb topping over the top of each dumpling, letting some fall around them in the bowl.

Step 10

Serve immediately while the dumplings are still warm and the breadcrumb topping is crispy. Drizzle each serving with a little warm whole milk or a dollop of sour cream — the cool creaminess contrasts beautifully with the warm, soft dumpling and the burst of sweet apricot inside.