Plum Dumplings, a popular dessert across Eastern Europe. It is made with fresh ripe plums coated in a mashed potato dough and tossed into sweetened cinnamon breadcrumbs. A fantastic Fall recipe that goes well with the whole family.

These plum dumplings are made the Romanian way - although I am pretty sure the recipe is not too different in other Eastern European countries. The main ingredients are pretty much the same, but you can decide how much sugar goes into them.
If the plums are ripe and sweet, we shouldn't need too much refined sugar added to them, since more it's then added to the breadcrumbs anyway. It's quite an unusual dessert if you think about it, but it's really delicious, and once you make the recipe once, you'll fall in love with it.
Plums are at the their best in Autumn, and they are easily available from the end of August onwards. I mean, the real deal, those plums that actually taste the way they should taste, the juicy and ripe ones, not the supermarket kind of plums that can be found outside their season too.
Nah, those ones won't work, simply because they are not sweet enough for you to truly enjoy this dessert. And it really is a special dish. Let' see how to make it!

How to make plum dumplings
With desserts I'm pretty much always able to give an exact amount for each ingredient, but in this case, the amount of flour needed can vary. It depends on the kind of potatoes used, whether you boil them with their skin on or not, and also the type of flour. Hence why it's best to add about ⅔ of the flour first, and add more if necessary.
- Start by cutting the plums lengthwise, but not all the way through, just enough to be able to pit them
- Add the sugar and cinnamon, toss well, and set aside
- In a pan, melt the butter, add the breadcrumbs, and stir well for 2-3 minutes, then add the sugar and cinnamon and stir again for a further 2-3 minutes
- Boil the potatoes, then allow them to cool, and mash them well
- Add the eggs and flour, and knead into a smooth, but sticky dough
Note! Do not too much flour even if the dough is sticky, otherwise the dumplings will be quite tough.
- take about one or two spoonfuls of dough, flatten it, add one plum in the middle and wrap the dough around it, then repeat with the remaining plums
- bring a pan of salted water to the boil, and add the dumplings to it, working in batches
- once the dumplings float to the surface, they are ready
- toss them into the breadcrumbs while they are still hot, then allow them to cool down before serving
It might sound complicated, but it really is a simple recipe. And again, the only worry is getting the dough to be the right consistency before boiling the dumplings, so that the dumplings are sweet and juicy on the inside, and tender (but still keeping the ball shape) on the outside.

Other plum desserts

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Plum Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 kg white potatoes (2 pounds)
- 2 cups flour
- 2 eggs
- 20 fresh plums (ripe)
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 60 g butter ( 2 oz)
Instructions
- Cut the plums lengthwise, but not all the way through, just enough to remove the pits.
- Add a quarter of a cup of sugar to them together with one tablespoon of cinnamon, toss well, and set aside.
- In a pan set over a low heat, melt the butter, add the breadcrumbs, and stir well for 2-3 minutes, then add the remaining sugar and cinnamon, and stir again for a further 2-3 minutes, until the breadcrumbs become golden.
- Remove fromt the heat and set aside.
- Boil the potatoes, either with their skin on, or peeled and cut into chunks. Once they are tender, drain the water, and mash them well.
- Leave to cool, then add the eggs and flour, and knead into a smooth, but sticky dough.
- Take one-two tablespoons of dough, flatten it up, then place a plum in the middle and wrap the dough around it.
- Repeat with the remaining plums.
- Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, drop the dumplings in, working in batches, and boil until the dumplings float to the surface.
- Remove them from the pot, and toss well into the breadcrumbs while they are still hot.
- Leave to cool before serving.
Plum Grower
Delicious! What a delight to eat. Nice tart, sweet and soft center!
Daniela Apostol
Glad you liked them!
Steph
I have red potatoes in my pantry…can I use those?
Daniela Apostol
Yes, they will work too.
Heidi
Do these freeze well? If yes what is the best way to reheat them?
Daniela Apostol
Hi! I am afraid I have never tried to freeze them, so I am unsure whether it works. I wouldn't think so, as when they might get too soggy.