Gluten Free Czech Bread Dumplings!
Bread dumplings are special and are not known as much as they should be! They really are one of the best comfort foods around. Chewy, with a bready center they taste incredible with just about any soup or stew. We love it with both Beef Goulash & Chicken Paprikash.
The photos here are my bread dumplings in my new Hungarian Beef Goulash Soup!
*If you would like to make a low carb Czech bread dumplings instead- check out this recipe instead! (Both versions are delicious!!)
Why are they called bread dumplings?
The dough is quite similar to bread dough as it uses yeast! Vs most American style dumplings that do not use yeast in them & relies on baking powder. Both routes are delicious! (Who doesn’t like dumplings period?)
Czech dumplings may seen complicated but they are quite easy to make! You’ll just need to give your dough enough time to proof so that the yeast can develop which will give them their bready interior texture.
All you do it mix the dough, shape it, proof it and then drop it into boiling water! Slice and serve. SO DELICIOUS!!
Can you swap out the better batter original blend for another gluten free flour blend?
I don’t recommend it! But- of course if you wish to experiment go for it.
Better batter contains a higher percentage per cup of xanthan gum than other blends that I have tried. Additionally it has some potato flour which really adds to the great texture of these dumplings. I tested these out with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour and they fell apart due to that flour having a lower volume of xanthan. If you experiment with other brands/blends you may need to add some xanthan to your dough.
Better Batter Gluten Free Orginal Blend
This flour blend continues to amaze me. It can do so many things better than most other blends that I have tried. As a result its extremely popular. Around the holidays it tends to sell out everywhere. Usually its available on Amazon and at Walmart. Lately I have been ordering it from the Better Batter website directly.
What if you cant get your hands on it? This may be the case if you live outside the US. My friend Nichole from Gluten Free on a Shoestring has figured out a mock recipe for better batter. Her version should work great in this recipe! The owner (Naomi) of better batter has confirmed that the mix is similar to the official version. I have had many club members use the homemade blend successfully in my recipes :)
Gluten Free Czech Bread Dumplings
Ingredients
- 260 grams warm milk (regular or dairy free)
- 1 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar
- 2 Tsp Instant/ Quick Rise Yeast
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 3/4 Tsp salt
- 311 grams (2 Cups) Better Batter Original Blend
- 96 grams (3/4 cup) Tapioca Starch (Sometimes labeled as Tapioca Flour) Plus a bit more for shaping.
- 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
Instructions
- Add milk to a large bowl & warm milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. Whisk in the yeast and sugar and let the yeast bloom for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
- When frothy whisk in the eggs then stir in the flour. Once the flour starts to come together use your hands to kneed the dough in the bowl until a smooth dough forms. (A stand mixer can also be used if you prefer that route).
- Cut a piece of parchment to cover a standard rimmed baking sheet. Then slice is down the center into two pieces for each bread log. Spray with oil and set aside.
- Sprinkle Tapioca on the counter. Divide the dough into 2 equal sized pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth log. I made mine about 7- 8 inches long and 2 1/2- 4 inches thick. The size/shape is pretty flexible- its just important to keep in mind that the log will need to be able to fit into a large pot to boil/cook. If its too thick getting it to cook through entirely could be challenging.
- Place the logs on the two sheets of parchment & place them on the cookie sheet. Spray the logs with oil and gently drape ceran wrap over each piece. (I used separate sheets of ceran wrap for each log. Then drape a towel over the ceran wrap & place into a warm place to rise for 70-80 minutes. *A warm oven preheated to 250 degrees then turned off with the door left open a crack works as a great warm place. Or if you oven is on from something else- setting the cookie sheet on top of it will work great.*
- After 70-80 minutes bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Remove the towel, and ceran wrap from the first log of dough. Gently place a bit of tapioca starch over the surface of the dough.(But do not push down hard and deflate the dough!)
- Using the parchment- lift the first log into the boiling water. I like to carefully lower one end in then flip the log upside down so that I can easily lift off the parchment. (The parchment does not need to boil or go into the water- its there to help you transport the dough into the water without deflating the log with your hands.)
- Cover the pot with a lid. Boil from 8-10 minutes. Flipping once halfway through. Using spatulas carefully remove the cooked bread dumpling and place on a cutting board. Repeat the process with the second log- making sure the pot still has enough water & is still boiling before adding it in.
- Allow the bread dumplings to cool for 15-20 minutes and then slice and serve with your favorite goulash/ paprikash soup or stew!
- Store in the fridge for 3-4 days wrapped up and warm before serving. OR- once a log fully cools it can be well wrapped in ceran wrap and frozen for 1-2 months.
Notes
If you feel intimidated by making two large logs of bread dumplings- feel free to divide the dough into 3/4 smaller ones for easier handling!
