Germknödel recipe
By: Mary at 01 February 2019
The Germknödel is a culinary delicacy that many winter sports enthusiasts still mouth water afterwards. First conceived and made in Tyrol, the Germknödel was the Austrian answer to the pancake. Only, according to the ancient Austrian tradition, it was once again overloaded with extra layers of sweetness and savoury.
Germknödel: what is it?
A Germknödel is a large ball-shaped dumpling of luxurious bread dough filled with compote. Traditionally, a plum compote is used for this, but those who want their own version can easily give it a twist. The Germknödel is unusual in that it is not baked, but steamed or boiled in salted water. It is, therefore, a dish that is always served hot.
Germknödel recipe
To make enough dough for five Germknödels you need:- 350 grams of flour
- 20 grams of fresh yeast
- 35 grams of sugar
- 50 ml of lukewarm warm milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 200 grams plum compote (or a filling of your choice)
- 40 grams of butter
- 1 tablespoon of rum
- The zest of half a lemon
- 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds
- 3 tablespoons of vanilla sugar
- 70 grams of butter
- Powdered sugar
Germknödel recipe: how do you make it?
First of all, it is vital to check that all ingredients are at room temperature before we start with the recipe. Everything checked? Then it is time to sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of this bowl with your fist and pour in about half of the lukewarm milk along with the rum and sugar. Stir everything thoroughly and leave the result in a warm place to rest. After about 15 minutes, this dough is ready for further processing.Fortunately, you should not spend those 15 minutes twiddling your thumbs. Beat the egg yolk well with the rest of the milk and add a pinch of salt and the grated lemon zest. This may be poured into the yeast dough and beaten with a mixer until smooth. Cover with a clean tea towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
Once the dough has rested, use it to make five large dumplings (these are cone-shaped balls) of the dough. Prick an opening with a sharp knife and divide the plum compote over the dumplings. Then cover the dumplings and let them rise again for 20 minutes.
Now it is time to fill a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil. Is your pan too small? Then use two because the dumplings should absolutely not touch each other during this process. Place the dumplings in the gently boiling water and let them cook for 12 minutes, turning them after 6 minutes.
For the sauce, melt the butter in a pan and add the sugar to it until a smooth mixture is formed. Cover the dumplings with the warm sauce and garnish with the ground poppy seeds and lots of powdered sugar. Would you like to experiment? Then fill the Germknödel with cheese, bacon, salami or jam. Bon appetit!