Just like grandma used to do: Autumnal sweet treats the Hungarian way – RECIPE

There is an odd sense of nostalgia in eating the meals your grandma used to make, they are a reminder of crisp autumn afternoons. As you returned from school, the aroma of her cooking filled the house with the comforting scent of spices. Nostalgic meals take us back to simpler times like that. Here we have collected some sweet treats that every Hungarian grandmother spoiled their beloved grandchildren with. Hopefully, you will find equally as much joy in making and trying these dishes as we did after a long school day.

A sweet treat on an autumn afternoon

Currently, some are enjoying the last days of summer and shading under palm trees. Meanwhile, others are thrilled about stepping into the next season, and cannot wait for this heat to leave. Autumn has a magical sphere, it is usually associated with the passing of something and nostalgia. What would be a better idea than making nostalgic meals on a gloomy autumn afternoon?

Hungarians all have a set of sweet treats that their grandmothers used to make growing up. Each bite of these beloved dishes stands as a reminder of the warmth and love our grandmothers infused into these meals. The rustling leaves outside and the soft, fading light of autumn add to the bittersweet feeling.

Hungarian plum dumplings (szilvás gombóc)

Claiming a dish as a national food of a particular nation is a slippery slope. Throughout history, nations met and shared culinary experiences. Thus other nations also have a take on the Hungarian plum dumplings. In Hungary, every family has its own set of traditions. Some may eat plum dumplings as a main course after a hearty soup (such as goulash), while others eat this sweet treat as a dessert. Here is a recipe from Nosalty:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg potatoes
• salt
• 50 g + 1 tbsp butter
• 350 g fine flour
• 10 plums (10-15 depending on the size)
• 13 teaspoons brown sugar
• cinnamon
• 100 g breadcrumbs

Preparation:

Wash the potatoes and boil them in salted water. Peel, mash and leave to cool. Add the salt, 50 g of butter and the flour and knead into a dough. On a floured surface, stretch to a thickness of 0.5-1 cm and cut into squares. Place halved plums in the middle of the squares, sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon, fold and form into dumplings.

Cook the dumplings in boiling salted water, while you heat the butter in a pan and fry the breadcrumbs with a little sugar until golden brown. Drain the cooked dumplings, roll them in the toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle with icing sugar.