How to Make Strawberry Dumplings
Czech strawberry dumplings are a delicious, summery treat. They’re filled with strawberries, steamed and served warm. They’re usually eaten right away, but you can also freeze them for later use.
How to make Strawberry Dumplings
First, wash the fresh strawberries and remove the stem. Cut into small pieces and put them into a bowl. This way they won’t get too mushy. You can even sprinkle a little sugar or vanilla extract on them. If you want to, you can add some lemon zest to them as well, but you’ll have to do that just before you cook them.
Next, prepare the dumpling dough by mixing sifted flour, egg and melted butter. Mix the mixture until it forms a uniform ball, then cover with a damp cloth and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to prevent it from shrinking during rolling.
During the time the dough is resting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. You can do this with a large sauce pan or with a stainless steel steamer. If using a steamer, place the dumplings on cheesecloth and secure it on the sides of the pan.
Once the dough is ready, you can start shaping it. The dough will be a bit sticky, so use plenty of flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. Once you have a good amount of dough, roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into a disc about 5 cm/2 in. wide and about 2 mm/1/16 in thick. Then, spread a teaspoon of the strawberry preserves on the dough and place a few strawberries on it. Then, pinch the ends of the disc to seal them shut.
If you’re making a larger batch, you can freeze the dough in portions that won’t touch. When you’re ready to serve, you can cook them in boiling salted water and then roll them in crumbs.
Then, bake them in a 450 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When they’re done, you can serve them with whipped cream or ice cream.
Another variation of this dish is to make a strawberry sauce with a lot of lemon soda and sugar, then pour it over the dumplings. This is a very easy recipe that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!
For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is incorporated, add the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and simmer for a minute, then add the lemon-lime soda.
Lastly, drop the dough in 8 to 10 spoonfuls on top of the sauce, then sprinkle them with a little sugar. You can also add some ground cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt if you like.
Bake in a preheated 450 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll have a nice, tender, doughy bottom and a crispy top. You can serve the dumplings with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream if you like, but you should avoid adding any lemon soda over them because it will cause the dumplings to break up in the oven and not be baked completely.