Austrian apricot dumplings with curd dough

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 500 g quark (quark) – I always mix semi-skimmed with normal
• 100 g butter
• 2 eggs
• 250 g flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• some wheat semolina to bind the dough
• 10 apricots
• breadcrumbs
• Sugar
• butter
• possibly cinnamon (I personally don’t like it that much, but if you like it…)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

The specified amount of dough is enough for exactly 10 dumplings! Knead the curd cheese, eggs, butter, and salt into a smooth dough (this works best with your hands!), add about 1-2 tablespoons of semolina, and knead well again. Chill for about 1 hour to allow the semolina to swell. Pit the apricots. Shape the dough into a log and divide it into 10 equal parts. Since the dough can be a bit sticky, always wrap it around the fruit with floured hands. The dough will be about 1-2 cm thick, depending on the size of the fruit. Let it stand in gently simmering, lightly salted water for about 20-30 minutes (depending on whether you’re using it fresh or from the freezer). The dough should have risen nicely and the fruit should be soft inside. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large pan, add the breadcrumbs and sugar, and fry gently over low heat until browned (sugar and butter can burn very quickly, so stir well!). The amount of butter, breadcrumbs, and sugar used is up to you; it’s a matter of taste. Drain the finished dumplings, add them to the pan with the browned breadcrumbs, toss them all around, and serve while still warm. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, if desired. If you want to freeze the dumplings, simply place them on a baking sheet or wire rack in the freezer until frozen, then simply place them in plastic bags. You can also use plums instead of apricots.