SWEET DUMPLINGS WITH PLUM AND VANILLA SAUCE

This is a traditional dessert from Alsace, known as dampfnudeln. Makes 12 to serve 4-6 For the dampfnudeln

Sunflower oil, for greasing 500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra 100g (3½oz) caster sugar 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast 150ml (5fl oz) whole milk, warmed 2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten 70g (2½oz) unsalted butter, melted Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

For the plum sauce

4 ripe plums, stoned and roughly chopped Juice of 1 orange 50g (1¾oz) demerara sugar A pinch of cinnamon

For the vanilla sauce

150ml (5fl oz) whole milk 150ml (5fl oz) double cream 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar 2tsp plain flour ½tsp vanilla bean paste

For the poaching liquid

25g (1oz) unsalted butter 150ml (5fl oz) whole milk 25g (1oz) caster sugar To make the dampfnudeln, lightly grease a large bowl with sunflower oil and set aside. Place the flour in a large clean bowl. Add the sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Make a well and add the milk, eggs and cooled melted butter. Stir with your fingers, picking up the flour from around the well, until you have a wet dough. Tip this on to a lightly floured worktop. Knead for 5-10 minutes until it forms a soft, smooth skin. Knead in the lemon zest. Transfer the dough to the oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for 1 hour to double in size.

Meanwhile, make the plum sauce. In a pan over a low heat, cook the plums, orange juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat and cook for 10 minutes, mashing the plums with a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Leave to cool, then blend with a hand blender or food processor. Set aside. For the vanilla sauce, heat the milk and cream in a pan to just below boiling point. Place the other ingredients in a heatproof bowl set on a damp cloth (to keep it steady) and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the milk mixture, whisking, then return to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 3-4 minutes until thick enough to coat the spoon. Remove from the heat, cover the surface with clingfilm to stop a skin forming and set aside. Turn out the dough on to a floured worktop. Fold the edges inwards repeatedly to knock out the air. Divide it into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place the poaching liquid ingredients in a wide pan and warm over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the dough balls in a single layer. Leave for 15 minutes to double in size, then cook, covered, over a low-medium heat for 25-30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 5-10 minutes more until the base of each one is golden. Just before they’re ready, gently warm the sauces in separate pans and pour them into jugs. Remove the dumpling pan from the heat and carefully lift out the dumplings with a slotted spoon. Serve with the sauces.