DAMPFNUDELN, THE ULTIMATE DESSERT FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE

With the secular New Year just around the corner, I can think of no better dish to make than Dampfnudeln , a Bavarian dessert whose name means steamed (dampf) dumplings (nudeln). It consists of balls of a rich yeast dough steamed in a Dutch oven, covered with caramel, and accompanied by a vanilla sauce.

Popularized by Catholics in southern Germany, steamed dumplings were traditionally served with soup for lunch. Through the centuries, many variations of Dampfnudeln crossed over to the German Jews, who served the dish with dairy meals.

By far the best version I know is this one, which consists of a brioche-like dough, rolled and cut into circular dumplings that are stacked and baked in a pan, much like monkey bread, and then soaked with a caramel sauce made with maple syrup. The finished cake is topped with a vanilla sauce or, as I prefer, vanilla ice cream, resulting in a billowy, melt-in-your-mouth, caramel-drenched dessert, with just a hint of brandy. This recipe came to me from the late Rhoda Haas Goldman, the great-grand-niece of Levi Strauss. In the 1990s, while visiting San Francisco, I asked Goldman, a wisp of a woman, when she ate Dampfnudeln, and she replied: “Whenever I can.” So, start your diet on Jan. 1, and enjoy this treat to mark the end of 2013. It’s worth every single calorie.

Dampfnudeln – Steamed Dumpling Cake Soaked in Caramel Sauce

Cake

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon brandy
5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Caramel Sauce

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Dissolve the yeast in a mixing bowl with the lukewarm milk and sugar. Stir and add the egg yolks, melted butter, salt, vanilla, and brandy. Gradually add 5 cups of the flour, adding more if needed. The dough will be very soft. Beat well with a spoon or an electric mixer and let rise, covered, for an hour. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

2. Let it return to room temperature before continuing. Flour a board and roll the dough out to 1-inch thick. Cut circles 2 inches in diameter with a small biscuit or cookie cutter. Arrange a layer of rounds on the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper, almost touching, then continue layering until you have used up all the dough. Allow to rise 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan mix the sugar with 1/4 cup of the water. Very gradually add the remaining water, stirring constantly. Simmer on medium heat until slightly caramel in color, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the butter, syrup, and cream, and simmer a few more minutes until smooth. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes, then add the vanilla.

4. After the dumplings have risen, bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 45 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and prick the top with the tines of a fork. Just before serving reheat the caramel sauce and pour over the cake. Let the sauce seep through then flip the cake onto a serving plate. Cut in slices and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yield: 12 servings