Czech Plum Dumplings Recipes

Steps:

• Wash fruit in cold water and dry thoroughly; set aside until ready to use.
• Combine flour, melted butter, egg yolks, salt and enough milk to make a soft dough that pulls.
• Cover and let stand about half an hour.
• Roll out thinly on a floured board, cut into 24 small squares and wrap a plum in each.
• Cook in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes; cooked dumplings will float to the top.
• Drain and serve sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon and melted butter.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and egg just until blended. Divide into six portions. , On a lightly floured surface, pat each portion of dough into a 5-in. circle. Place a plum half on each circle. Gently bring up corners of dough to center; pinch edges to seal. , In a Dutch oven, bring water and butter to a boil. Carefully add dumplings. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean. Serve warm with pan juices, melted butter and cinnamon-sugar.

Steps:

• To pit the plums, slice them almost in half, open, and remove pit. Place about 1/3 teaspoon of sugar in the hollow of each plum; close the plum, and place in a bowl. Set aside.
• Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher. You will need 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Set aside, and keep warm.
• To make the dough, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a pile on a breadboard. Make a well in the center; add 1 cup mashed potatoes, egg yolks, and shortening into the well, and work in until the dough is pliable and smooth.
• When dough is thoroughly kneaded, roll it out onto a floured board to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut into roughly 4-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter. Holding one piece of dough in your hand, place a whole pitted plum in the center. Place another piece of dough on top, and press to seal the edges of the dough together. Make sure there are no leaks, or the plum will come out during cooking.
• To cook, bring a deep pot of salted water to boil. Place dumplings in water, and boil gently for about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. (If you like, stir in some of the juice that collects in the bowl of pitted plums.) Stir in a small amount of bread crumbs to slightly thicken the sauce.
• When dumplings are done, remove them from boiling water, and place them in the frying pan, and turn to coat the dumplings. Serve hot with extra sauce poured over them.

Steps:

• Cream 2 tablespoons butter, beat in eggs and salt.
• Gradually beat in flour and riced potatoes.
• Dough should be stiff to knead thoroughly.
• On floured board roll out dough to 1/4-in thickness, then cut 3-inch squares.
• Lay 1 plum on each square, sprinkle with little cinnamon sugar and fold edges over plum.
• Shape with hands into a ball.
• The wall of dough should be very thin.
• Drop dumplings into boiling salted water, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Brown bread crumbs in 1/3 cup hot butter.
• Roll dumplings in buttered bread crumbs, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.