German dampfnudel with vanilla sauce and poppy seeds ()

These mildly sweet dumplings are a mainstay at German festivals and markets. The softball-sized hot steamed bun is served in a bowl with your choice of topping. At fests, the most common topping is a tasty vanilla sauce, while other sweet fruits like cherries or even chocolate are also popular. Savory varieties are also sometimes seen swimming in a vegetable or potato soup.

Origin Debate

The Dampfnudel is claimed by both Bavaria and the Pfalz regions of Germany. It is a continuing point of contention. In 2008, the Minister of Agriculture for Rheinland-Pfalz sent a stern letter of complaint to the Minister of Agriculture in Bavaria. Dampfnudel had appeared on a food database celebrating Bavarian dishes being considered for EU cultural protection. This was a problem because the dumplings are made differently between the two regions. Not to fret, however, a return letter guaranteed the public that dampfnudel was not selected and would not be locked into a protected status favoring the Bavarian style.

Filled or Not?

Bavarian-style dampfnudel is often filled with a fruit compote and is steamed with milk and butter. This iteration tends to be softer and is almost always served with a sweet topping. In the Pflaz, where traditional un-filled dampfnudel is eaten as both a savory main dish with soup and as a sweet side dish with wine sauce, it is steamed in salt water and fat. The Pflaz version has a slightly crispier crust.

Legend has it that a baker in the Pfalz town of Freckenfeld made the first huge batch of dampfnudel in the 1600s. It was during the Thirty Years’ War and a Swedish cavalry unit was demanding tribute in exchange for not destroying the village. Apparently, the Swedes were pleased with their dampfnudel payment, and its plentiful wine sauce, so the town survived.

Here is a recipe if you’d like to try to make your own dampfnudel.