Holzknechtnocken with Strawberry Curd au Gratin

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 g) wheat flour
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 ½ cups (375 ml) boiling water
• 8 whole strawberries
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 cups (500 g) strawberries, washed and stemmed
• Sugar or honey
• Lemon juice
• ¼ cup (70 g) butter, softened
• Lemon zest
• Vanilla sugar
• ¼ cup (50 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup (250 g) curd cheese (e.g. quark or farmer cheese)
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche
• ⅛ L heavy cream
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, oil, and hot water. Knead until you get a dough.
2. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Flatten each piece, and wrap around a single whole strawberry. Pinch shut to form a dumpling.
3. Boil dumplings for 5–7 minutes in salted water. Coat in melted butter.
4. Cut remaining strawberries into pieces. Toss with sugar and lemon juice.
5. Beat together the butter, lemon zest, vanilla sugar, and confectioners’ sugar until creamy. Mix in egg yolks, curd cheese, and crème fraîche.
6. Whip cream with sugar. Fold the whipped cream into the butter-cheese mixture.
7. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, and fold into the above mixture.
8. Preheat the oven to 200°C
9. Arrange some strawberries on oven-safe plates. Top with some of the cheese mixture, then a few dumplings on top and sprinkle with sugar.
10. Place plates in the oven, and bake until golden.