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

FAQs

What are German knodel or dumplings usually made of? ›

Knödel is the German word for dumpling, and as such there are dozens of varieties. The most popular, however, are probably semmelknödel, which are made from day-old bread rolls (semmeln) soaked in warm milk and seasoned with onion, parsley, and a pinch of nutmeg. There are two basic ways to form bread-based knödel.

Homemade dumplings can fall apart for a number of different reasons, or any combination of them. Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed.

Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.

Knödel (you pronounce the "k") means dumpling in German. My mother used to make this dish a lot when I was small because it's a good way to use up stale bread.

The dumplings will be completely cooked and ready when they float on the surface of the boiling water.

Letting the dough rest allows it to more fully absorb the water and relax, which will make rolling even easier.

Some families hide a coin inside one or more of the jiaozi, so someone may bite into something hard and discover a gold or silver coin inside their dumpling. Whoever finds the dumpling with the coin has good luck and will be lucky in the upcoming year.

You don't need speciality dumpling flour to make these wrappers – regular plain, all-purpose flour is absolutely fine. You could also use bread flour if you have it. Water. This recipe is a hot water dough, which I find a lot easier to work with.

Can you freeze Knodel? ›

There are two ways to go about freezing Semmelknödel. The results are very similar so choose the one that appeals to you. Freeze first, then cook. Dust the shaped dumplings with a bit of flour, arrange them onto a baking sheet and place them in the freezer.

So that they cook perfectly, the dumplings need to steam, so cover the pot with its lid. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer when cooking the dumplings. An aggressive simmer or boiling will break them apart. Keep the heat low and cover the pot so that they steam.

A teaspoon of sugar adds an extremely subtle hint of sweetness. It also helps the dumplings retain their moisture through the cooking process and slows gluten development, which ensures tender dumplings. A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

This is what your dumpling will look like. Perfectly plumped and juicy. Juicy. Now, if you overcook your soup dumplings like this, then your dumplings will be looking like a cone shaped top hat thing.

Fun and EASY: Spaetzle means “l*ttle sparrows” they're the most recognizable German starch to serve with an authentic German meal. They're fun for kids to help make, in a play-doughy kind of way, and all you need is flour, salt, nutmeg, eggs, and milk.

Dumplings are most commonly formed from flour or meal bound with egg and then simmered in water or gravy stock until they take on a light cakey texture. Many recipes call for herbs, onions, grated cheese, or chopped meat to be rolled into the dough before cooking.

Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled with meat, fish, tofu, cheese, vegetables, or a combination.