DUMPLINGS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE (SOUSKLUITJIES)
Suet is used as the fat of choice for dumplings, as it traps air as it melts and therefore creates the perfect light and fluffy texture. Beef suet is most commonly used, but vegetarian versions are also readily available.
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons suet (You can use butter, but I prefer suet)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup of cold water (more if needed)
Sauce:
1 ½ cups of water
¼ teaspoon salt
butter
1-2 Tablespoon caramel syrup
mixed cinnamon-sugar (± 1 cup)
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Rub the suet into the dry mixture with your fingers until it forms soft crumbs.
If not cooking your dumplings immediately, you can keep your mixture aside at this stage, (before adding your water), until needed.
When ready, slowly add a little water at a time and begin to mix in with a spoon until a dough starts to form.
Once you have a soft dough with specks of the suet still visible, stop mixing as you don’t want to overwork the dough. If it is too sticky, add a tiny bit more flour.
In a heavy based pan, (I use my electric frying pan), add about 2cm of water, a few teaspoons (+-4) butter and 1/4 tsp salt.
Bring to a boil, until butter has melted.
With a dessert spoon, put balls of dough into your boiling water and cook with lid on for 15 minutes. DO NOT TAKE LID OFF BEFORE 15 MINUTES HAS EXPIRED!
While your dumplings is cooking, take a large serving dish and cover the bottom of dish with a fair amount of mixed cinnamon-sugar.
Take your dumplings out of boiling water and put on top of your cinnamon-sugar. Add more cinnamon-sugar on top of dumplings as well with little bits of butter.
Keep the remaining liquid in the pan.
Add 1 1/2 cups of water together with 1/2 cup of cinnamon-sugar.
Add one and a half to two tablespoons of caramel syrup (depends how sweet you want your sauce).
Make a paste with 2 tsp Maizena and a little water.
Here I drop teaspoon by teaspoon of Maizena mixture into my syrup water until I have the desired consistency of my sauce.
Keep sauce warm until serving.
Serve over warm dumplings.
Recipe: Amanda Conradie
Photo Elize de Kock
