Every spring the air around rural New England fills with the aroma of sweet Maple Dumpling deliciousness.  Similarly, when brandy is aged in its oak barrels, it gives off an aroma that the French monks called la part des anges – the angels’ share.  So, just like with aging brandy, when the sap is boiled into maple syrup, a portion is given to the angels, la part des anges.

Today, I am sharing an old family recipe for what was called in rural parts of Quebec, Crapeaux, which translates to ‘toads’ don’t ask me why, maybe it is the lumpiness that reminded those old Quebec farmers of a warty toad. But there is nothing else in connection to a toad!  They are a dumpling boiled in maple syrup.  If you love maple syrup, this is total nirvana.  We used to have this for dessert every Easter when I was growing up.

Crapeaux or Maple Dumplings

Ingredients

1 egg
1/4 cup milk
dash of salt
1/4-3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Approximately 2-4 cups of maple syrup brought to a gentle boil in a pot. Too much of a boil will cause the syrup to boil over.

Beat the egg, milk, and salt until thick.  Add 1/4 cup of flour and the baking powder and mix just until blended.  Add up to another 1/2 cup of flour to make a stiff batter like a drop biscuit.

Drop a generous tablespoonful of batter into the boiling maple syrup. Cook one side then turn to cook the other side of the dumpling.  This should be approximately 3-5 minutes for each side.

There should be enough syrup so the dumplings don’t touch the bottom of the pot and do not overcrowd the dumplings when they are cooking.  The dumplings will expand when cooking.

The remaining boiled syrup can be drizzled on the cooked dumplings and can also be used for sugar-on-snow which is the syrup drizzled on snow, (if you have any left) and it hardens into a caramel-like consistency that we used to eat off the snow with a fork. It is great on vanilla ice cream too but has to be used right away because it will harden too much when cooled, but it will create a candy or ‘sugar’ which can also be used.

Make sure you soak your pot right away in hot water or it is difficult to clean!

(Note you use the now really thick maple syrup to make “sugar on snow”, Lisa needs to work on an article for this…

Enjoy!

Lisa Folger