Balkan Plum Dumplings with Cinnamon Walnut Crumbs 🍑✨

Description

Balkan Plum Dumplings are soft potato dough dumplings filled with juicy plums, then rolled in buttery cinnamon walnut crumbs until every bite tastes warm, tender, fruity, and nostalgic. They are old-fashioned, cozy, and perfect for late summer, autumn, family tables, or any dessert moment that needs real Balkan comfort. ✨

Hook ✨

Soft potato dough, sweet plums, buttery crumbs, cinnamon, and walnuts make these Balkan dumplings warm, fruity, and unforgettable. 🍑

Ingredients

• Potato dough 🥔
• 🥔 700 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (5 cups / 1.54 lb)
• 🌾 220 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (1¾ cups / 7.8 oz)
• 🥚 1 large egg, 50 g (1 egg / 1.8 oz)
• 🧈 25 g unsalted butter, softened (2 tbsp / 0.9 oz)
• 🧂 3 g fine sea salt (½ tsp / 0.1 oz)
• 🍚 20 g semolina, optional (2 tbsp / 0.7 oz)
• Plum filling 🍑
• 🍑 12 small ripe plums, pitted (500 g / 1.1 lb)
• 🍚 35 g sugar (3 tbsp / 1.2 oz)
• 🌿 2 g ground cinnamon (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• Cinnamon walnut crumbs 🌰
• 🧈 90 g unsalted butter (6 tbsp / 3.2 oz)
• 🍞 160 g fine breadcrumbs (1⅔ cups / 5.6 oz)
• 🌰 80 g walnuts, finely chopped (¾ cup / 2.8 oz)
• 🍚 60 g sugar (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🌿 3 g ground cinnamon (1½ tsp / 0.1 oz)
• 🧂 1 small pinch fine sea salt
• Finish ✨
• 🍚 20 g powdered sugar, optional (2 tbsp / 0.7 oz)
• 🍯 20 g honey, optional drizzle (1 tbsp / 0.7 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Boil the potatoes 🥔
2. Place the potatoes in salted water and boil for 18–20 min, until fully tender. Drain very well and let them steam-dry for 5 min.
3. 2️⃣ Mash and cool 🛋
4. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Let them cool for 15 min, because hot potatoes can make the dough sticky and heavy.
5. 3️⃣ Make the dough 🌾
6. Add flour, egg, softened butter, salt, and semolina if using. Mix gently until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork it.
7. 4️⃣ Prepare the plums 🍑
8. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place a little cinnamon sugar inside each pitted plum.
9. 5️⃣ Shape the dumplings ✨
10. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Flatten each piece in your palm, place one plum in the center, then wrap the dough around it and seal well. Roll gently into smooth balls.
11. 6️⃣ Boil gently 🔥
12. Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. Add the dumplings in batches and cook for 10–12 min, until they float and the dough is tender. Lift out carefully with a slotted spoon.
13. 7️⃣ Toast the crumbs 🌰
14. Melt butter in a wide pan. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 4–5 min until golden. Stir in walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, then cook for 1 min more.
15. 8️⃣ Roll and serve 🍽️
16. Roll the warm dumplings in the cinnamon walnut crumbs until fully coated. Serve warm with powdered sugar or a small honey drizzle if desired.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 40 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 35 min
🛋 Rest: 20 min
⏰ Total: 1 h 35 min

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