A Perfect Balance of Sweet and Tangy

The combination of ricotta cheese and semolina flour creates a dough that’s soft and slightly dense, giving the dumplings a rich yet tender texture. Ricotta adds creaminess to the dough, while semolina flour provides structure, making the dumplings easy to shape and cook. The sweet plums, with their juicy flesh and natural tang, pair perfectly with the mild, slightly sweet flavor of the dough. The added sugar in the filling enhances the plum’s sweetness, creating a balanced contrast between the fruit and the dough.

When cooked, the plums soften and release their juices, infusing the dough with sweet and slightly tart flavors. The resulting dumplings are bursting with fruitiness in every bite, making them an irresistible dessert.

The Dumpling Dough: Simple Yet Flavorful

The dough for these plum dumplings is both simple to make and incredibly versatile. Ricotta cheese, egg yolks, and melted butter provide the richness, while semolina flour helps create the dough’s dense, slightly chewy texture. The baking powder gives the dough a bit of lift, while the vanilla paste adds a subtle warmth and sweetness. The pinch of salt helps balance out the sweetness of the plums and sugar, ensuring the dumplings aren’t overly sweet.

The dough is mixed together and kneaded into a smooth consistency, then refrigerated to help it set. Refrigerating the dough for at least one hour (or overnight) allows the flavors to meld together and makes the dough easier to work with, ensuring the dumplings hold their shape while cooking.

Filling the Dumplings: A Sweet Plum Surprise

To prepare the dumplings, each plum is cut in half and a small cube or teaspoon of sugar is placed inside. The sugar helps draw out the natural sweetness of the plums, creating a delicious contrast with the richness of the ricotta dough. The dough is then shaped into patties and wrapped around the plum, sealing it tightly to ensure that the plum stays in place while cooking.

Once shaped, the dumplings are rolled in semolina flour to give them a slight crunch on the outside. This coating helps prevent the dumplings from sticking together during cooking and also adds a bit of texture to the final dish.

Cooking the Dumplings: Gentle and Precise

The dumplings are gently boiled in salted water until they are fully cooked. This method ensures that the dumplings remain tender and fluffy on the inside while the plums cook to perfection. Depending on whether you are cooking fresh or frozen dumplings, the cooking time will vary, but it generally takes about 15-18 minutes for fresh dumplings to cook through. If using frozen dumplings, they will need about 20-23 minutes.

It’s important to lower the heat once the water boils and add the dumplings gently, so they don’t break apart. Once cooked, they should be removed carefully using a kitchen skimmer to avoid damaging their delicate shape.

Pan-Frying for a Golden, Crispy Finish

Once the dumplings are boiled, the next step is to pan-fry them to achieve a golden, crispy exterior. Butter is melted in a pan, and breadcrumbs, sugar, and (optional) Sweet Love spice mixture are added to create a warm, fragrant coating. The breadcrumbs turn golden brown as they fry, infusing the dumplings with a delightful crunch that contrasts with the soft, pillowy dough and tender plums inside.

Frying the dumplings for just a couple of minutes helps seal in all the flavors and gives them a crispy, buttery finish that makes each bite even more delicious. The sweet sugar coating adds an extra layer of sweetness and texture, making these dumplings feel like a true indulgence.

Serving with Fruit Compote: A Perfect Pairing

Plum Dumplings with Ricotta are the perfect dessert to serve with a fruit compote. A tangy apricot compote complements the sweetness of the dumplings, adding a fresh and slightly tart contrast to the rich, buttery flavors. The fruit compote can be served on the side or spooned over the dumplings, allowing the flavors to mingle together.

You can use any fruit compote of your choice, such as a berry compote or a peach compote, depending on your preferences or the season. The compote enhances the fruitiness of the plums and adds another dimension of flavor to the dish.

Nutritional Value of Plum Dumplings with Ricotta

These plum dumplings are rich in flavor and satisfying, with a relatively balanced nutritional profile. At approximately 350 calories per serving, they offer a hearty dessert without being too heavy. The dumplings provide 10 grams of protein, largely from the ricotta cheese, which helps make them more filling. The fat content is 15 grams, with 6 grams of saturated fat from the butter and ricotta, contributing to the richness of the dish.

The dumplings also offer 40 grams of carbohydrates, most of which come from the semolina flour and the natural sugars in the fruit and sugar. While they contain 18 grams of sugar, this is primarily from the fruit and sugar added to the filling, making them a reasonably sweet dessert without being overly sugary.

With a bit of fiber (0.5 grams) and potassium (264 mg), these dumplings provide a small amount of essential nutrients. The ricotta cheese also adds a bit of calcium, helping support bone health.

Conclusion

Plum Dumplings with Ricotta are a deliciously comforting dessert that combines the best of fruity, creamy, and crispy textures. With their rich ricotta-based dough, sweet plum filling, and golden breadcrumb coating, these dumplings offer a perfect balance of flavors that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Paired with a fruity compote, they make an elegant yet simple dessert for any occasion. Whether served at a family dinner or a special gathering, these dumplings are a delightful treat that will leave everyone asking for more.