for 12 small dumplings
For the pre-ferment: 25 g yeast, ½ tsp sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp flour; for the dough: 40 g sugar, 120 to 140 ml milk, 40 g butter, 2 eggs, 400 g flour, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 1 large pinch, orange zest, grated, 1 pinch of salt, 1 tsp rum, apricot jam, melted butter to brush on; for 500 ml of custard: 250 ml milk, 60 g sugar, 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 1 large pinch lemon zest, grated, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp cornflour, 125 ml cream, whipped, 1 pinch of salt
For the pre-ferment, mix the yeast with the sugar and the lukewarm milk. Stir in the flour, cover and leave the mixture to rise in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at a maximum of 35 degrees.
Melt the butter, mix with sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla sugar, grated orange zest, salt, rum and the pre-ferment. Add the flour and mix. Knead the dough well, until it blisters. Next cover and leave to rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut out approx. 6 cm diameter rounds. Fill with apricot jam and seal well.
Dip the dumplings in melted butter and layer in an ovenproof dish greased with butter with the seams pointing downwards. Cover the dish with a cloth and leave to rest for another 15 minutes in a warm place. Bake the dumplings in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for approx. 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the dish, then tip onto a board. Separate the dumplings and serve whilst still hot with the custard.
For the custard: heat up the milk, 20 g of sugar, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and salt. Stir the egg yolk with the remaining sugar and the cornflower in a bowl, then pour in the boiling milk mixture. Pour the hot custard into another pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. If needed, pass through a sieve, leave to cool a little and stir in the whipped cream.
Baking temperature: 180 degrees C
Baking time: 30 minutes
Tip:
You can improve the custard still further with a vanilla pod - it is heated up with the mixture in the pan to enable it to release its flavour.
