Blackberries and Dumplings
An old-fashioned Southern dessert: a sweet, jammy blackberry syrup simmered on the stovetop with soft, pillowy dumplings dropped right in to cook until tender. Spoon into bowls and top with ice cream or whipped cream. Ready in about 30 minutes with pantry staples.
Equipment
- Saucepan with lid
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Blackberry Syrup
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Dumplings
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more if needed
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Start the Syrup: Combine the blackberries, sugar, water, and nutmeg in a saucepan over the stove. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium boil and cover the pot.
- Make the Dough: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk with a spoon until a soft dough forms. With floured hands, you should be able to pull off pieces and roll them into walnut-size balls; add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky to handle.
- Cook the Dumplings: Remove the lid and drop the dumplings into the simmering berry syrup. Replace the lid and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through. You should get 11 to 12 dumplings.
- Serve: Serve warm, with the berry sauce ladled over the dumplings, topped with ice cream or whipped cream. (About 2 dumplings with sauce per serving.)
Notes
Use fresh or frozen blackberries (no need to thaw); other berries work too. Keep the syrup at a steady medium boil and the lid on while the dumplings cook, so the trapped steam cooks them through. Keep the dumplings walnut-size so the centers cook in time, and add a little extra flour to the dough if needed to handle it (but don't overwork it). Cut into one to check it's fluffy, not doughy. Adjust syrup thickness with a splash of water or a longer simmer. Best fresh; keeps 2 to 3 days refrigerated. Not recommended for freezing.