Dampfnudeln with Vanilla Sauce and Plum Compote

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings (6 large Dampfnudeln)
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes (includes rising)

Quick Ingredients

• Dough: 500 g all-purpose flour (4 cups), 50 g sugar (1/4 cup), 7 g active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp), 250 ml warm whole milk (1 cup), 60 g unsalted butter, melted (4 tbsp), 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 1 tsp lemon zest (optional).
• Pan mixture: 250 ml whole milk (1 cup), 40 g butter (about 3 tbsp), 25 g sugar (2 tbsp), 1/4 tsp salt.
• Vanilla sauce: 500 ml whole milk (2 cups), 100 ml heavy cream (about 1/2 cup), 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla paste, 70 g sugar (1/3 cup), 4 large egg yolks, 2 tsp cornstarch, pinch salt.
• Plum compote: 600 g plums, pitted and quartered, 80 g sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp), 60 ml water (1/4 cup), 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cinnamon stick, pinch salt.
• To serve: Powdered sugar (optional), extra lemon zest (optional).

Do This

• 1. Bloom yeast in warm milk (38–41°C / 100–105°F) with a pinch of the sugar.
• 2. Mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, egg, melted butter, and the milk-yeast; knead until smooth and slightly tacky, 6–8 minutes.
• 3. First rise covered until doubled, 60–75 minutes.
• 4. Divide into 6 balls; place in a lidded skillet with the cold pan mixture; proof 25–30 minutes.
• 5. Simmer plums with sugar, water, lemon, cinnamon 12–15 minutes; keep warm.
• 6. Cook vanilla sauce to 79–82°C / 175–180°F until it coats a spoon; keep warm.
• 7. Cook Dampfnudeln covered over medium-low 18–22 minutes without peeking, then 3–5 minutes to brown the bottoms. Serve with sauce and compote.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pillowy-soft, cloud-like buns with a caramelized, golden-brown bottom.
• Classic German-Austrian comfort dessert with clear, reliable timing.
• Vanilla-flecked sauce and tangy plum compote keep every bite balanced.
• No special equipment beyond a wide skillet with a tight-fitting lid.

Grocery List

• Produce: 600 g plums, 1 lemon (for zest and juice)
• Dairy: Whole milk (1 liter total on hand is plenty), heavy cream (100 ml), unsalted butter (100 g), 1 large egg + 4 large egg yolks
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, active dry yeast, vanilla bean or vanilla paste, cornstarch, cinnamon stick, fine salt

Full Ingredients

Dampfnudeln Dough

• 500 g all-purpose flour (4 cups, spooned and leveled)
• 50 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 7 g active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
• 250 ml whole milk, warmed to 38–41°C / 100–105°F (1 cup)
• 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (4 tbsp)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar (optional)

Pan Steaming Mixture

• 250 ml whole milk (1 cup)
• 40 g unsalted butter, in small pieces (about 3 tbsp)
• 25 g granulated sugar (2 tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp fine salt

Vanilla Sauce (Crème Anglaise-Style)

• 500 ml whole milk (2 cups)
• 100 ml heavy cream (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste)
• 70 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tsp cornstarch (optional but helps stability)
• Pinch fine salt

Plum Compote

• 600 g ripe plums (Italian prune plums if available), pitted and quartered (about 12–14)
• 80 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp)
• 60 ml water (1/4 cup)
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch fine salt

To Serve (Optional)

• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Extra lemon zest, cut in fine strips

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the soft yeast dough

In a small bowl, stir the yeast into the warm milk with a pinch of the measured sugar and let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the milk-yeast mixture, egg, melted butter, and optional lemon zest/vanilla. Knead with a dough hook on medium speed (or by hand) until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 6–8 minutes. The dough should clean the bowl but still feel soft.

Step 2: First rise

Form the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 60–75 minutes at about 26–28°C / 79–82°F.

Step 3: Shape the buns

Lightly flour your work surface. Turn out the dough, gently deflate, and divide into 6 equal pieces (about 130–140 g each). Cup your hand and roll each piece into a tight, smooth ball, pinching the seam underneath.

Step 4: Set up the pan and second rise

Choose a heavy 30 cm / 12-inch deep skillet or braiser with a tight-fitting lid. Add the cold pan steaming mixture (milk, butter pieces, sugar, salt) to the skillet. Arrange the dough balls seam-side down in the cold mixture, evenly spaced; they should have a little room to expand. Cover and proof until noticeably puffy and just starting to touch, 25–30 minutes.

Step 5: Make the plum compote

While the dough proofs in the pan, place plums, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, optional cloves, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the plums are tender and the juices are slightly syrupy, 12–15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Keep warm on low, or refrigerate and rewarm later.

Step 6: Cook the vanilla sauce

Heat the milk, cream, and vanilla seeds/pod (or paste) in a saucepan just to steaming. In a bowl, whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt until smooth and lightened. Temper by slowly whisking in a third of the hot milk, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it reaches 79–82°C / 175–180°F and coats the back of the spoon (a clean line holds when you swipe your finger), 5–8 minutes. Do not boil. Strain into a jug and keep warm. If it thickens on standing, whisk in a splash of warm milk to loosen.

Step 7: Steam and caramelize the Dampfnudeln

Place the lidded skillet with the proofed buns over medium heat. As the milk mixture comes to a gentle simmer (in 2–3 minutes), reduce to medium-low, cover, and cook without opening the lid for 18–22 minutes. You will hear mostly soft simmering at first; when the milk has been absorbed, the sound shifts to a gentle sizzle as the butter and sugar caramelize. Continue 3–5 minutes to brown the bottoms to deep golden. If you smell scorching, lower the heat; you can add 1–2 tbsp milk around the edge to cool the pan. Remove from heat, rest 2 minutes, then carefully lift the lid away from you.

Step 8: Serve

Transfer buns to warm plates. Spoon vanilla sauce generously around each bun and add a scoop of plum compote. Dust lightly with powdered sugar and finish with a few threads of lemon zest, if you like. Serve immediately while the bottoms are crisp and the interiors are steamy-soft.

Pro Tips

• Use a heavy pan with a tight lid. Trapped steam is key to a fluffy crumb and a lacquered bottom crust.
• Resist peeking. Opening the lid releases steam and can collapse the buns or give a gummy line inside.
• Sound is your timer. Gentle simmering means steaming; a soft sizzle signals caramelization.
• Weigh ingredients for consistent results, especially flour and liquids.
• If the bottoms are pale after the liquid evaporates, increase heat slightly for 1–2 minutes to encourage browning.

Variations

• Cardamom-Citrus: Add 1/2 tsp ground cardamom to the dough and zest of 1/2 orange instead of lemon.
• Red Wine Plum Röster: Replace half the water in the compote with 60 ml dry red wine; simmer to a glossy, jammy consistency.
• Savory Salt-Crust Dampfnudeln: Omit sugar in the pan mixture; use 250 ml lightly salted stock or water with 1 tsp salt and 30 g butter. Serve with mushroom ragout or sauerkraut.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Dough can be made ahead: after the first rise, refrigerate up to 12 hours, then shape, proof, and cook. Leftover cooked Dampfnudeln keep 2 days refrigerated; reheat by steaming 4–5 minutes or microwave briefly, then re-crisp bottoms in a nonstick pan with a dab of butter. Freeze cooked buns up to 2 months; thaw overnight and re-steam. Vanilla sauce keeps 3 days chilled; rewarm gently to serving temperature (do not boil). Plum compote keeps 1 week refrigerated and freezes well.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values: 830 calories; 29 g fat; 18 g protein; 125 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 46 g total sugars; 380 mg sodium. Values will vary based on ingredient brands and exact portion sizes.