Marillenknödel

Marillenknödel is a cherished pastry in Austrian and Czech cuisines, particularly popular in regions abundant with apricot orchards, such as Wachau and Vinschgau. The term "Marillen" translates to apricots, the star ingredient in this delightful dessert. Imagine small dumplings crafted from dough, each concealing a whole apricot or mirabelle plum. These dumplings are gently boiled in lightly salted water, then rolled in crispy fried bread crumbs and dusted with powdered sugar for a perfect finish.

Traditionally, the dough is made from potatoes; however, delicious variations using quark or choux pastry are also common.

Nowadays, you can buy frozen, ready-to-eat Marillenknödel, making it convenient to indulge in this treat anytime. For a contemporary twist, there's Eismarillenknödel, where the dough is replaced with ice cream and the crumbs are a sweet mixture of nuts and sugar.

There’s an amusing bit of history attached to this dessert as well. Legend has it that Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria once demanded Marillenknödel even when apricots were out of season, famously proclaiming, "I am the Emperor and I want dumplings!" Now that's a royal endorsement!