Germknödel
A classic Austrian dessert featuring a large, fluffy yeast dumpling filled with a rich, spiced plum jam. The dumpling is steamed until light and tender, then served warm with melted butter and a sweet poppy seed topping.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 2 hr 5 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 994 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 gall-purpose flour
- 250 mlmilk, lukewarm
- 7 gactive dry yeast
- 50 ggranulated sugar
- 1 pcsegg, large, room temperature
- 50 gunsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 0.5 pcslemon, zest only
- 0.5 tspsalt
Filling
- 150 gthick plum jam
Topping
- 80 gunsalted butter
- 50 gpoppy seed, ground
- 50 gpowdered sugar
Ingredients
- 1 tspsalt, for steaming water
Equipment
steamer insert · kitchen scale · large bowl · small saucepan · whisk · small bowl · stand mixer · large pot with lid
The method
Step by step
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, active dry yeast, and one teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: If the yeast mixture doesn't get foamy, the yeast may be inactive and you should start over with fresh yeast.
- 2
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, the remaining granulated sugar, salt, and lemon zest.
About 2 min
- 3
Add the foamy yeast mixture, the egg, and the melted butter to the flour mixture. Knead on low speed with a dough hook or by hand for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl when it's ready.
- 4
Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for about 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
About 1 hr
- 5
Gently punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into four equal pieces.
About 3 min
- 6
Flatten each piece of dough into a circle about 1 cm thick. Place a generous spoonful of the thick plum jam in the center of each circle.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to overfill, as it can make sealing the dumplings difficult.
- 7
Carefully pull the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching them together firmly to seal and form a neat ball. Roll gently between your palms to smooth the seam.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the seal is tight to prevent the filling from leaking out during steaming.
- 8
Place the sealed dumplings, seam-side down, on a lightly floured surface. Cover them with a cloth and let them rest for another 20 minutes.
About 20 min
- 9
While the dumplings are resting, fill a large pot with about 5 cm of water, add the salt for the steaming water, and bring it to a gentle simmer. Place a steamer insert inside.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: You can lightly grease the steamer insert with butter or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- 10
Carefully place the dumplings into the steamer, leaving space between them as they will expand. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 15-20 minutes.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Avoid lifting the lid while steaming, as the drop in temperature can cause the dumplings to collapse.
- 11
While the dumplings steam, prepare the topping. Melt the topping butter in a small saucepan. In a separate small bowl, mix together the ground poppy seeds and powdered sugar.
About 5 min
- 12
Once steamed, carefully remove the dumplings from the pot. Serve immediately, drizzled generously with melted butter and sprinkled with the poppy seed and sugar mixture.
About 2 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 993.9kcal
- Protein
- 20g
- Carbs
- 150.5g
- Fat
- 33.4g
- Fibre
- 4.8g
- Sugar
- 47.1g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently by steaming for 5-7 minutes until warmed through.