Lakes Region Foodie — Blueberry Dumplings with Crème Fraîche

Sometimes it’s the forgotten, simplest desserts that can make the biggest impact and be so satisfying. Such is the case with fruit dumplings. I myself had forgotten about them until I worked as a contributing editor on one of the past revised editions of The Joy of Cooking. These dumplings are much lighter than summer fruit pies, cobblers and crisps. Partly because they are usually less sweet and the water adds lightness, much in the same way it does to the lemon filling of a meringue pie. Water as an ingredient tempers bold or complex flavors, which can amplify some of the nuances otherwise lost or overshadowed. Blueberries have a complex flavor which ranges from sweet to tangy and has subtle flavor notes of herbal to spicy, depending on the variety. My first choice is always our local wild blueberries, which have a more extraordinary intense flavor and antioxidants. They are highly priced by many of the finest chefs.

The dumplings are easy, fast to make and a great introduction as a starting dough for kids to make. Unlike pie crust, dumplings are very forgiving, a little under or over mixing isn’t going to make a noticeable difference. The dumplings are mixed just before adding them to the fruit so they will be at their lightest, today most baking powder is double acting which means it is activated by heat and liquid. Once you blend the batter the baking powder starts to activate even before you start baking. The water and sugar is heated in advance to dissolve the sugar in the water and provide a more consistent baking time, since the thickness of casserole pans varies so much, affecting how quickly they conduct heat.

Sometimes I add chopped fresh basil or lime zest to the dumplings. Another option is to substitute some of the blueberries with raspberry and blackberries, or small whole strawberries.

The dumplings are best served warm or at room temperature. But you can rewarm them in the covered casserole in a 350°F. For the past 25 years New England dairy farms have been producing wonderful crème fraîche, however, ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet or lemon curd are also a nice alternative.

Blueberry Dumplings with Crème Fraîche

Filling

4 cup fresh blueberries, preferably wild

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

Dumplings

1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup milk

6 ounces crème fraîche

DIRECTIONS

Filling

Adjust oven rack to the lowest level and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Wash the berries in a bowl of cold water and drain well.

In a medium size saucepan stir together the water and sugar. Warm over medium heat until the edges start to gently bubble, or about 180°F if you are using a thermometer.

Add the berries to a 4 quart (or larger) casserole with a tight fitting lid. Pour the hot sugar water over the berries and cover with the lid. Bake on the lower rack for about 20-25 minutes or until the filling is simmering.

While the filling is baking, begin measuring the batter ingredients so that you are able to quickly make the dumplings.

Dumplings

In a medium size bowl blend together the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour the milk into a small saucepan. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the milk. Warm over moderate heat until the milk is warm and the butter is almost completely melted. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture in the saucepan on the burner so that the milk stays warm and butter stays melted. Place in your workspace: a fork to mix the dumplings with and two large oval soup spoons to form the dumplings.

When the blueberry filling is ready, remove the casserole from the oven. With a fork, stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture only until the milk has been absorbed. The batter should look lumpy and slightly under mixed. Remove the lid from the top of the casserole, keeping it close by. Drop large spoonfuls of the batter on top of the blueberry mixture forming first a circle around the edge and then fill in the center of the circle. Use the second spoon to help slide the batter off the spoon if needed. The dumplings will sink slightly but float on top of the berries. Return the lid to the top and place back into the oven. If you have extra batter, do not add more dumplings. Instead drop them on a small pie pan and bake for 15 minutes and offer them to your kitchen helpers.

Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid until this baking time has elapsed. Remove from the oven and place on a rack. Remove the lid and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Stir the crème fraîche until evenly blended.

To serve: place one or two dumplings in soup plates or bowls, add the berries and juices, then top with a spoonful of cream fraîche.