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Grandfathers in maple syrup
Dumplings in maple syrup
Grands-pères au sirop d'érable: fluffy dumplings poached in maple syrup
CanadianGrands-pères are the dessert of the Quebec sugar shack in March and April, when sap is running and the cabane à sucre serves long breakfasts. Soft scone-like dumplings are dropped into simmering maple syrup and cooked under a lid until they puff up and soak in the syrup from below. In Beauce and the Eastern Townships families make them at home with the first syrup of the year. Serve warm in bowls with cold cream poured over. A common mistake is letting the syrup boil hard, which scorches it and makes it bitter. Chef's tip: keep the lid on for the full cooking time; lifting it lets the steam out and the dumplings sink and turn heavy.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup
- 1 cup water
For the dumplings
- 9 oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 ¾ oz cold butterdiced
- ¾ cup milk
- ¾ cup single cream (optional)to serve
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring 1 ½ cups pure maple syrup and 1 cup water to a simmer in a wide, deep pan with a tight lid.
3 minStep 2: Mix 9 oz plain flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp caster sugar. Rub in 1 ¾ oz cold butter until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in ¾ cup milk with a fork just until a soft, sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
5 minStep 3: Drop heaped tablespoons of dough into the gently bubbling syrup, leaving space between them. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid. They are done when doubled in size and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean.
20 minStep 4: Spoon the dumplings into bowls with plenty of the thickened syrup and pour over ¾ cup single cream.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does grandfathers in maple syrup take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of pure maple syrup?
- Honey or golden syrup, same amount.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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