Strawberries and Dumplings

I got this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. To be honest, the dumplings here are not the stuffed kind I usually think of when I hear the word, but “Strawberries and Dumplings” somehow sounds much better than “Strawberries and Dough Balls”. Note that the dumplings do dry out quickly, but if you pour some of the strawberry syrup on top, you can remedy that quite easily. I loved this dessert, but the Engineer does not like desserts served hot, so he preferred this the next day, straight from the fridge.

4 cups strawberries, trimmed and thickly sliced
¼ cup sugar
juice of half a lemon
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
½ cup whole lactose-free milk
2 Tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

Stir together strawberries, sugar and lemon in a heavy saucepan and let stand, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 15 minutes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.


Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Heat the milk and butter together just until the butter melts.


Stir this warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth. Gather a golf-ball-sized portion of the dumpling batter onto a small spoon, then push the dumpling onto the stew using a second spoon. (I’ll admit it, I used my hands.) Cover the fruit with the dumplings, leaving about ¼ inch between each.


Tightly cover saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until dumpling looks dry on top, about 15 minutes; the dumplings will have doubled in size.


Let stand off heat, uncovered, five minutes, then serve.