Knedle sa sljivama or dessert dumplings with plums are the quintessential dessert in the Vojvodina region of Serbia, where they are called Gomboce. In fact, this dish is eaten all over Eastern and Central Europe, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary.
Knedle are made from a potato-based dough, stuffed with your filling of choice, and then boiled in water. When they rise to the top, they’re done! Then the warm Knedle are rolled in buttered and toasted bread crumbs and served.
While plums will always be the most traditional filling, modern chefs have taken it up a notch and started experimenting with a variety of different fillings. If you’d like to see all the different kinds, here is a shop that knows what they’re doing. I haven’t had a chance to try these yet, but I hope to this summer.
Anyway, I decided to stuff my Knedle with Ferrero Rocher chocolates instead of plums. And let me tell you, I don’t regret it. They were perfect!
Although eating them the same day is recommended, I can tell you they are just as good the next day, making this a great make-ahead dessert to bring to a party. Another reason you may want to make these the day before is that they do take time to make. But they are so worth it. Trust me, if you take these to a party they will be a hit!
Ferrero Knedle / Ferrero Dessert Dumplings
Course: DessertsCuisine: Serbian, Balkan20
servings30
minutes10
minutesIngredients
7-8 large potatoes
2 cups (400 g) flour
20 Ferrero Rocher chocolates
1/2 cup (100 g) cream of wheat
2 large eggs
2 tsp (10 g) salt
2 3/4 cup (300 g) bread crumbs
2 tbsp (16 g) vanilla sugar
2 sticks (226 g) butter
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 g) ground walnuts
2 tbsp (30 ml) oil (I use sunflower)
Directions
- Peel the potatoes and transfer them to a large pot. Add 1 tsp (5 g) salt and boil them until soft, but not falling apart. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- While still hot, mash the potatoes together with 4 tbsp (50 g) butter, 1 tsp (5 g) salt, and 1 tbsp (8 g) vanilla sugar. Mix everything well until combined. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once the dough has cooled, add in eggs one at a time, stirring the dough with a wooden spoon. Once all the eggs have been incorporated, add in the cream of wheat and just enough flour to have a compact mass. The dough should remain soft and somewhat sticky, not firm.
- Once the dough has come together, cover hands with flour and take enough dough to form a ball slightly larger than a golf ball. Place one Ferrero Rocher chocolate in the middle of the dough and cover it with dough, rolling it between your palms to form a perfect ball. The chocolate should not be visible through the dough.
- Place the finished ball onto a floured surface and repeat the previous step until you have used up all the dough.
- In a skillet, melt the remaining butter. Once melted, add in the bread crumbs and toast until they are golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Add in the sugar, remaining vanilla sugar, and ground walnuts. Sprinkle this mixture on the bottom of your serving platter and set aside the rest.
- Fill a large soup/stockpot with water and add the oil. Boil the water on medium-high heat until it reaches a boil. When the water has reached a boil, drop the Knedle, one at a time into the water carefully. Once the Knedle float to the top (6-10 min), cook them an additional minute and remove from the water, draining any water. Transfer to bowl with breadcrumbs.
- Roll the Knedle in the breadcrumb mixture and transfer to your serving platter. Repeat this step until all are cooked and rolled.
- Serve warm, room temperature or cold.
Notes
- Store leftover Knedle covered with plastic wrap or in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prepared Knedle can be frozen for later use! Freeze raw Knedle individually on a tray, then store in Ziploc bags. When ready to use, thaw in refrigerator and following the cooking steps above.
Yes, I know it sounds labor-intensive. But trust me, you’ll love the end result. And did you see my note above regarding freezing them? It’s so convenient to have them ready to go in the freezer. You’ll always have a phenomenal dessert for guests.
I hope you give these a try. If you do, I would love to see them! Use the hashtag #thebalkanhostess so I can see, or send me a pic directly on Instagram. Oh, and while you’re there, make sure to follow me to see all future recipes!
