Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

For the fruit sauce

• 1 quart fresh or frozen blackberries or raspberries or blueberries (see below for handling of frozen berries)
• OR 22 ounces / 625 g fresh organic strawberries
• 1/4 cup / 50 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon / 5 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest from an organic lemon
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml water

For the dumplings

• 1/2 cup / 60 g whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup / 65 g all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons / 25 g ultra-fine or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon / 3.2 g baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon / 1.5 g baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon / 1.5 g fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons / 1 ounce / 28 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 ml vanilla extract OR, if using raspberries, almond extract
• 100 ml / 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon [homemade] kefir or buttermilk, stirred well

Instructions

Note on fruit and sugar: I used local blackberries I picked and froze last summer; local raspberries from a friend’s garden she had frozen for me and fresh California-grown organic strawberries. The natural sweetness of fruit requires only a small amount sugar.

If using frozen berries, defrost and drain. I collected the water and added to it to make the required 1/2 cup / 120 ml. If using fresh strawberries, hull and slice them (depending on the size, cut them into 4 to 8 slices).

To make the fruit sauce, combine the five ingredients listed in a Dutch oven or saucepan. (I tried using both; however, the 8 inch / 20 cm wide and 3 inch/ 7.5 cm deep saucepan with a glass lid allows me to watch the dumplings puff up later.) Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the kefir or buttermilk and extract just until the flour is moistened.

Drop tablespoons of dough into the simmering berries, spacing them: I suggest to start by making a ring of dumplings around the edge and then make another ring inside it. Continue until all the dough is used.

Cover the pan tightly. Simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are firm and look dry. (This is where the glass lid comes handy.) A toothpick inserted in the center of one of them should come out dry. If your dumplings are on the large side, they may need 20 minutes.

Spoon dumplings in serving bowls and top with berries. Enjoy plain or accompanied with plain yogurt. When no longer hot, enjoy accompanied with vanilla ice cream.

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