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Puschel marvels at the orange apricot in an opened dumpling while Flauschi laughs at the table.

Wuselig Recipes · Recipe 75

Vegetarian

Flauschi’s Apricot Quark Dumplings

Wrap small apricots in quark dough, simmer gently and coat in golden buttered crumbs. Marillen means apricots and Topfen means quark.

The little story

The Orange Treasure in the Dumpling

Flauschi had rolled the cooked apricot dumplings in golden crumbs. They looked like little round hills on the table. Puschel held his spoon ready.

Puschel„Is there really a whole apricot inside?“
Flauschi„A little one. Without its stone. We removed that first.“

Flauschi cut a dumpling open. Orange fruit shone in the middle. They waited until the centre had cooled too.

Puschel„Treasure! I need a shovel.“

He raised his little spoon. Flauschi giggled and put the second half on her plate.

Flauschi„We will hunt for treasure in small bites.“
Puschel„Then I find it more often.“

Earlier Puschel had stretched the dough too thinly around the fruit. Together they had closed the open seam. Now the juice stayed inside.

Puschel„The treasure has a soft door.“
Flauschi„And the crumbs are its golden blanket.“

Puschel gathered crumbs on his spoon. Nobody needed to hide this treasure. They simply shared it.

Preparation and shaping: about 30 min · Chilling: 30 min · Test, simmering and crumbs: about 25 min · Total about 85 min, plus any quark draining or second cooking batch.

Makes 8 dumplings: 4 small sweet meals or 8 desserts

How to make it

In a few words: Wrap small apricots in quark dough, simmer gently and coat in golden buttered crumbs. Marillen means apricots and Topfen means quark.

Ingredients

  • 250 g well-drained low-fat quark
  • 50 g softened butter for dough
  • 1 medium egg
  • 150 g plain wheat flour, plus at most 1 tbsp for wet dough and 1 tbsp for shaping
  • A small pinch of salt
  • 8 small ripe apricots (about 35–45 g each)
  • Crumbs: 30 g butter, 80 g breadcrumbs and 20 g sugar
  • Cooking water: 3 litres water and ½ tsp salt

Method

  1. Wash hands. Weigh ingredients and get equipment ready. Adults handle knives, graters, tin openers, mixers, the hob, oven and all hot containers.
  2. If quark is wet, drain in a fine sieve in the fridge; weigh 250 g afterwards. Mix butter and egg, then briefly work in quark, 150 g flour and a pinch of salt. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Never taste raw dough.
  3. Wash and dry apricots. An adult opens each carefully along one side and removes the entire stone. Close fruit again. We add no extra sugar inside.
  4. An adult heats salted water in a large pot to a gentle simmer: small bubbles, not a rolling boil. Cook a small test piece of dough for 8–10 minutes. If it breaks apart, work at most 1 tbsp extra flour into the remaining dough and let it rest briefly again.
  5. Divide dough into eight equal pieces. Flatten with lightly floured hands, put a small apricot inside and enclose completely. Seal seams well. Children only handle cold dough, then wash hands.
  6. An adult lowers dumplings into simmering water with a slotted spoon. Cook 12–15 minutes depending on size and dough thickness; use two batches if the pot is small. Floating alone is not a doneness test: cut one open. Dough must be cooked through to the fruit with no raw sticky layer; otherwise continue cooking.
  7. Meanwhile melt 30 g butter in a pan. Stir crumbs over medium heat for 3–5 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and stir in sugar.
  8. Lift dumplings out, drain briefly and roll in crumbs. Place on plates, cut open and cool before eating. The fruit inside may still be very hot.

Equipment

Fine sieve, bowl, large pot, slotted spoon, frying pan, scales

Allergens and shopping

milk, egg and wheat/gluten. Check actual ingredient labels and family allergies.

Recipe check

Quantities and method were checked editorially against cooking references. These are our own family versions; no practical cooking test has been carried out. Times are estimates; doneness and product instructions take precedence.

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