IMBB7 - Peach Melba Dumpling

Today is the seventh round of Is My Blog Burning, the now famous cooperative blogging event that was the brainchild of Alberto of Il Forno. The current edition is hosted by marine ecologist and foodie Jarrett of food porn watch and life in flow and the theme is You’re just the cutest little dumpling!

I struggled with this IMBB mostly because I wasn’t sure about the definition of a dumpling. At first I was thinking of making some sort of sweet ravioli, but there seemed to be some question as to whether ravioli qualified as a dumpling. Finally, I settled on something along the lines of an apple dumpling. (It’s called a dumpling so it must be a dumpling – right?)

The peaches are wonderful right now, so I decided to use a peach in the middle rather than an apple. Then I thought a raspberry sauce would make a pretty and tasty accompaniment, so my dumpling became Peach Melba Dumpling.

I started with my standard pie crust recipe and added some sugar and lemon zest to give it a little flavor. I also cut back on the salt. I was very happy with the way the pastry turned out – it looked good and tasted good too. I think I might change the way I rolled it out though. I rolled it as one piece, but I think it would be easier if the dough was divided first and then each piece could be rolled out separately to the appropriate size.

The other thing I might do differently next time is the filling. I had some marzipan in the refrigerator and I’m wishing I had tried that instead of the nut and sugar mixture. It would have been neater – the marzipan could have been shaped into a peach pit-sized nugget – but I think it might have also provided a more intense flavor in the middle.

Overall, though, I was very happy with the way these turned out. They were yummy and photogenic too!

Peach Melba Dumpling

zest from one lemon
1 cup flour
2 tbs confectioners’ sugar
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
3 tbs water
2 tbs ground almonds
1 tbs brown sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 or 3 freestone peaches
1 egg
sparkling sugar
melba sauce (recipe follows)

Finely chop the lemon zest. Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender. Sprinkle the water over the mixture and stir. Pull the dough together into a ball with your hands. You may wish to divide the dough before rolling it. Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper and then place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate briefly.

Mix together the ground almonds, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Prepare the peaches by cutting them in half, peeling, and removing the pit.

Place a piece of pastry on the cooking dish and then place half of a peach on top of it with the cut side of the peach facing up. Spoon a little of the nut and sugar mixture into the center of the peach and then place the other peach half on top. Pull the edges of the pastry up around the peach and pinch at the top. Repeat with the other peach(es). Beat the egg lightly in a small dish and then brush the dumplings with a little of the beaten egg. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake at 400 F for about 40 minutes. Shield the top with foil if it is browning too quickly. Let cool and serve with Melba sauce and additional raspberries.

Melba Sauce

½ pint fresh raspberries
2 tbs sugar (or to taste)
juice from half a lemon

Place raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in the blender and puree. Strain out seeds.