Túrógombóc (Hungarian Sweet Cheese Dumplings)

Ingredients

• 1⅛ lbquarkdry, pressed through a sieve
• 3Eggfor the mixture; partly an extra yolk
• 4 ozsemolinabinds the mixture, needs to swell
• 3½ ozbreadcrumbstoasted until golden, for rolling
• 3½ ozButtermelted for the mixture and for toasting the crumbs (optional)
• 3 tbspoilalternative fat for toasting the crumbs (optional)
• ½ ozVanilla sugarto sweeten the mixture
• 2 tbspicing sugarin the mixture and for dusting
• 1lemonzest only
• 1orangezest only, extra aroma (optional)
• Salta pinch in the mixture, also for the cooking water
• 7 ozsour creamfor serving, sometimes sweetened
• 3½ ozJamfor serving (optional)
• cinnamonmixed with powdered sugar over the dumplings (optional)
• 7 ozsweet yeast breadgrated instead of breadcrumbs (optional)

Method

1. Press the dry curd cheese through a sieve so the mixture turns out smooth and free of lumps.
2. Separate the eggs. Stir the yolks, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, grated lemon zest, a pinch of salt and the semolina into the cheese until you have an even mixture. If you like, add melted butter and a little orange zest for extra aroma.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture at the end.
4. Cover the mixture and chill it for 1–2 hours so the semolina can swell — this makes the dumplings easier to shape and keeps them together in the water.
5. Toast the breadcrumbs in butter or oil over gentle heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, then take the pan off the heat right away so they don't turn bitter.
6. Salt plenty of water and bring it to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer — at a rolling boil the dumplings fall apart.
7. With wet hands, shape even, fairly small dumplings and slide them into the water. Cook until they rise to the surface, then let them stand briefly in the hot water.
8. Drain the dumplings, roll them in the toasted crumbs while still hot and serve with sour cream, powdered sugar and jam.

Tips and variations

Instead of breadcrumbs, you can toast grated sweet yeast bread (kalács) in butter for a finer, sweeter crust; for something lighter, toast the crumbs in a dry pan with no fat at all. It also works stripped right back: just curd cheese, egg and semolina, with no flavourings and no resting time — that mixture goes straight into the pot and gives noticeably softer dumplings. For a vegan version, cook soaked millet with coconut cream, water, lemon and a sweetener until creamy, bind it with cornmeal and plant cream, shape the dumplings cold and roll them in crumbs toasted in coconut oil. To serve, powdered sugar mixed with cinnamon over the dumplings is especially good — and there's no harm in sweetening the sour cream a little.