Dampfnudel

A Dampfnudel is a dumpling eaten as a meal or as a dessert in Southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and in France. It is a typical dish in southern Germany.

History

The origin of the Dampfnudel is unclear. Friederike Luise Löffler, housekeeper at the ducal court of Württemberg in Stuttgart, listed various Dampfnudel recipes in her 1791 book Neues Kochbuch oder geprüfte Anweisung zur schmackhaften Zubereitung, Stuttgart cook Friederike Luise Löffler listed various Dampfnudel recipes, one of which was explicitly referred to as Bavarian Dampfnudel.
There are Dampfnudel city gates in Freckenfeld and Kandel, two towns in the Rhineland-Palatinate, in western Germany, near the border with French Alsace. It is reputed that, during the Thirty Years' War, Swedish troops arrived at Freckenfeld and demanded ransom. Master baker Johannes Muck, with his wife and apprentice, made 1,286 Dampfnudeln to feed the soldiers, who then spared the village from further extortion and pillage. The Dampfnudeltor even features on the coat of arms of the municipality of Freckenfeld.

Ingredients and preparation

Dampfnudeln are made from a dough composed of white flour, water, yeast, salt, butter or margarine, and sometimes also eggs and a little sugar. The dough is formed into balls about the size of an egg, left to rise and then cooked in a covered pot, preferably a high-rimmed iron pan with a lid, either in a mixture of milk and butter or salt water and fat until a golden-brown crust forms at the bottom after the liquid has evaporated. The tops remain white.

Serving

Dampfnudeln are typically served as a main course with savoury accompaniment such as cabbage, salad, gherkins, potato soup, lentil soup, or mushrooms in a béchamel sauce. They can also be served as a dessert with vanilla custard, jam, or boiled fruit. In Bavaria, however, Dampfnudeln are traditionally served as the main dish even though they are normally served sweet. In the Palatinate they are served as a main dish and with a salty crust.