Fruit dumplings

Ovocné knedlíky — tender quark-dough dumplings wrapped around whole plums and finished with butter and powdered sugar; a beloved Czech sweet main.

Ingredients

• quark (curd cheese)250 g
• coarse flour200 g
• eggs1 pcs
• plums8 pcs
• butter50 g
• powdered sugar4 tbsp

Method

1. Make the dough. In a bowl, combine the quark, coarse flour, egg, and a pinch of salt. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms — it should hold together without being wet. If it clings too much to your hands, add a little more flour, but keep it as soft as you can.
2. Rest the dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10–15 minutes at room temperature. This relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to shape around the plums.
3. Prepare the plums. Stone each plum by slitting it along one side and removing the pit, keeping the plum as whole as possible. You can tuck a small pinch of powdered sugar inside each plum in place of the stone if you like it sweeter.
4. Wrap the dumplings. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Flatten each portion in your palm, place a plum in the centre, then wrap the dough around it and pinch firmly to seal — there should be no gaps or the dumpling will burst during cooking.
5. Boil the dumplings. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Lower the dumplings in gently in batches so they are not crowded. Cook for 8–10 minutes after they float to the surface — they should look slightly puffed and the dough will feel set rather than doughy when pressed lightly.
6. Brown the butter. While the dumplings cook, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat and let it foam and turn a pale golden colour with a nutty aroma — this takes about 3–4 minutes. Keep it warm.
7. Plate and finish. Lift the dumplings out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly. Arrange two per person on warm plates, spoon the browned butter generously over each dumpling, and dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Sealing the dumplings. Make sure every dumpling is completely sealed before it goes into the water — any gap will let boiling water in, causing the dough to split and the hot, sugary plum filling to escape into the pot.
• Handling hot dumplings. The cooked dumplings and the plum filling inside them hold intense heat; let them sit for a minute before eating and warn guests not to bite straight in.