Pear Dumplings or Rhöner Hutzelklöß

The "Rhöner Hutzelklöße" / Pear Dumplings consist mostly of dried pear slices in addition to a yeast dough. These dumplings were traditionally prepared on the Sunday after Ash Wednesday, on the so-called "Hutzelsonntag" in the German Region of the Rhön, and served warm with baked fruit juice or brown butter. However, they also taste good at any other time of the year, whether as a main course or as a dessert.

Method:

  1. Put the dried pear slices in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water, soak for about two hours.
  2. Then remove them with a slotted spoon and dry well on a tea towel.
  3. Then cut the pears into smaller pieces.
  4. Put the flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle and stir in a little pre-dough with the lukewarm milk, the yeast and the sugar.
  5. Now add the salt, eggs and butter and mix well with a wooden spoon.
  6. Let the dough rest covered for 30-45 minutes.
  7. Then add the pears to the dough, knead well and shape into larger dumplings.
  8. Bring salted water to the boil and let the Rhöner Hutzel dumplings simmer in it for 20 minutes until they float to the surface.
  9. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and pour brown butter over them, serve warm.