Dampfnudeln

(Dictionary calls them "sweet yeast dumplings". That sounds weird... )

A childhood thing, something that mothers make, and I actually have never made them myself. Today I read about them and decided I needed to make them. I am afraid they are not very photogenic. And I am not a good food photographer...

Originally they are made in a pot or pan with a bit of milk and fat, or even steamed in a pot. I am lazy and bake them in the oven.

Preparation time: about 90 minutes
Suggested music: as a variant of Dampfnudeln are known in Austria as Germknödel, listen to Falco, e.g. Out of the dark *arrrrrrr*

Ingredients:

• 500 g flour (I mixed in 100 g whole wheat flour)
• 1 sachet yeast
• 200 mL plant milk
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• pinch of salt
• custard (vanilla sauce, or just vanilla soy milk if you are as lazy as I am)

What to do:

1. Prepare a yeast dough with everything but the custard. The dough has the right consistency when it forms a ball around the dough hook as in the picture above.
2. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes.
3. Knead the dough again for a few seconds, then form little balls and place in an oven pan, not too close to one another. If you are not as hungry and hasty as I was, they should look much nicer. Let rise again for 10 minutes, then bake at 180 °C for about 20 minutes, until they are browned on the surface.

Open one Dampfnudel up a little and serve with the vanilla sauce. 

Variations: Try steaming them in a pot, they will not be as dry on the surface. Serve with cinnamon or fruit sauce or ground poppy seeds. Fill with jam.