Authentic Semmelknödel Recipe (Bread Dumplings) | MasalaHerb.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

First, mix the dumpling ingredients just until the dough comes together. You'll whisk together the dry ingredients, then add melted butter and heavy cream. Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour.

Bread dumpling recipes are varied across the region, but in general, they use either flour or stale bread, yeast (or other leavening agents), eggs, salt, and a liquid for binding. And then herbs, dried meats, fat, and other ingredients can be added.

The Semmel Knoedel recipe is pretty standard: Diced hardened bread rolls, onions, butter, fresh parsley, milk, eggs, salt, pepper and often a dash of freshly ground nutmeg. Another variation, Speckknödel (bacon dumplings), are prepared exactly the same way only they have the addition of cooked bacon.

Usually made from flour, bread or potatoes, they are often served as a side dish, but can also be a dessert such as plum dumplings, or even meat balls in soup. Many varieties and variations exist.

These dumplings start with all-purpose flour, which creates structure and holds the other ingredients together. Baking powder is a leavening agent, which means it releases gas that makes the dough expand. It's responsible for the dumplings' light and fluffy texture.

The trickiest part of the dumplings remaining fluffy lies with the cooking time. If the dumplings are cooked for too long, then they will become hard. If they are cooked and allowed to remain in the heated environment – in the hot liquid or covered in the hot pot, then the dumpling will contract and get hard.

Knödel or Klöße are large round poached or boiled potato or bread dumplings, made without yeast. They are normal parts of Austrian, German, Hungarian, Slovakian and Czech cuisine. They come in many different forms.

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt.

The Chinese had figured out how to grind flour about 300 years earlier, which led to noodles and, eventually, dumplings. Some say that the first dumplings were made with lamb and pepper, but since then, they have adapted. Most dumplings now have a pork mixture as their filling.

You will usually see these potato dumplings, or Kartoffelklöße (pronounced kartoff-el-kleuz-ze) or Knödel, on the side of our favourite meat dishes, like Sauerbraten, Roast Pork or Beef Rouladen.

What country of origin is Knödel? ›

Knödel comes from the word knode meaning little knot and Kloß originates from Middle High German from the word klō meaning flower bulb, ball, or clump. Written recipes of Knödel and Kloß can be traced back as early as to the 18th century, but these kinds of dumplings are not only typical German.

Knödel have been cooked in the Alps for more than 4,000 years. One of the first versions was the mashed grain Knödel, which was baked on the shores of Lake Mondsee in Upper Austria.

Bread dumplings go well with such specialties as sirloin in cream sauce, tomato gravy, dill gravy, horseradish gravy, and goulash. The first mention of bread dumpling is from the 7th century. By the 19th century, Czech national cuisine began to form, and bread dumplings became a phenomenon.

, Slang. , ca·noo·dled, ca·noo·dling. to caress, fondle, or pet amorously.

There are many types of dumplings in Germany, such as: Dampfnudeln, Germknödel, Grießklöße/ Grießknödel, Semmelknödel, Kartoffelknödel/Kartoffelklöße, Königsberger Klopse, Leberknödel, Zwetschgenknödel and Topfenknödel/Quarkknödel.

Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!

And for a pork-veggie filling that's compact, cohesive, and moist—but not dense or wet—mix the meat vigorously to release myosin, a sticky meat protein that helps the filling hold together. Using just the right amount of filling helps ensure that your dumplings can form a proper seal and won't burst open while cooking.

A little citrus zest also makes a great addition. Lemon zest is a good all-rounder, but orange would also work well, particularly for lamb or beef stews. A little mustard or horseradish will also add a hit of extra flavour to your dumplings – not too much though, as they also add moisture.