I did grow up in Price, the melting pot of Utah.

Czech Fruit Dumplings
You know those desserts you tell yourself aren't that bad for you. Like carrot cake or blueberry pie. It's preferable to focus on the fact that you're eating a serving of vegetables or fruit, conveniently ignoring that half a pound of butter and sugar that went lovingly into each slice?


This may not be one of these things. Yes, it may look merely like a lumpy mass, but this lumpy mass when cooked is reminiscent of a turnover, only instead of a butter crammed crust it is covered in a soft dough with a flaky center. Bite into one and the flavor of warm bread rushes through you. In the center sweet fruit awaits. No butter required. What you choose to top it with will just be our little secret.

Czech Fruit Dumplings (makes approx. 20 small sized):
Adapted from Czech Cookery

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 packet yeast
1 tsp sugar
up to 200ml milk
pinch of salt
fruit of your choosing
possible toppings: butter, whipped cream, maple syrup, almonds, powdered sugar

Sift flour into bowl. In a separate bowl, combine hot water, a pinch of the shifted flour, sugar and yeast. Wait until the yeast mixture beings to bubble. It should smell like fresh bread and look slightly lumpy, almost dough like. Combine yeast mixture with salt and add to the flour. Pour milk, a little at a time, working with the mixture until the dough is formed and all the flour is combined. Dust both sides of dough with flour(for easy removal) and cover bowl. 

Leave in a dry warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Remove dough from bowl.  Cut into equal sizes of your liking. Flatten dough and place fruit mixture in the center. Wrap dough around the fruit, pressing edges together to form a dumpling. 

Let sit another five minutes to rise.

Place dumplings in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes, depending on size.