After many trials (and errors) and countless numbers of hours spent perfecting my kroppkaka making technique through the years, this hearty staple of folk Swedish gastronomy is, finally, back on our table. Kroppakakor (singular form, Kroppkaka) are wonderful potato dumplings traditionally filled with ground pork and herbs, served warm with butter to enhance the simplistic perfection of the dumpling in and of itself.
My vegan version offers a flavorful mushroom and chive filling, with a dash of spice and a hint of sweet herby-ness from the dill and contrasting acidity from the sour cream.
Arm yourself with patience and artistry – this isn’t an easy one to make. If it fails the first time, don’t be disheartened, give the method another try, as practice makes perfect. Ultimately, what matters is the reward at the end of the process, and a delightful one at that when it comes to Kroppkakor.
Prep Time: Appx 1 hr 30 min | Cook Time: 40-45 min | Makes: 14 Medium-large dumplings | Difficulty: ♦♦♦♦ – Advanced
Simple ingredients
- 1 lb Potatoes – Yukon Gold
- 6 to 8 oz Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp White Pepper
the filling
- 1 cup Mushrooms – dried
- 1 tbsp Butter – plant-based
- 1 tbsp Flour
- 2 tsp Chives
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp White Pepper
to top off
- Sour Cream – plant-based
- Butter
- Dried Dill (optional)
Start with the Potato dumplings
Soak the mushrooms in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Boil the potatoes, whole, skin on, in a large pot of water for 25-30 min. If cooked through, you will be able to easily punch holes with a fork. Let cool just until you are able to handle and peel them.
Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl, discarding the peels, and mash until smooth and uniform.
Add salt, and white pepper, and flour a little bit at a time while mixing with a wooden spoon. When the mixture starts to come together, tip the bowl onto a floured workbench and knead until smooth and lump-free.
Return dough to a bowl dusted with flour, cover with cling wrap and set aside for later use.
Take the soaked mushrooms and drain well.
In a small skillet, melt the butter, add the mushrooms, and season with chives, salt and white pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes. Squeeze out the juice into a small bowl if you want to reserve it as a dipping sauce for the dumplings, otherwise discard.
Mince the drained mushrooms very finely. Place into a clean bowl and add 1 or 2 tbsp of flour, depending on how much liquid you have in your mixture. The resulting filling should be dry and firm enough to retain its shape on a spoon.
Some Assembly
Take the dough, tip it on a floured workbench and roll out into a cylinder about 2” in diameter. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into 14 equal portions, roll them individually over the flour (so they don’t stick to the board or your hands) with your hands to form a sphere, then roll out into 4-5” discs with the help of a rolling pin, dusted with flour. Ideally, you want the discs to be a bit thicker in the center where the filling will reside, to avoid seepage.
Place 1 tsp of filling in the center, gently pull the edges up over the filling and seal with a light pinch, delicately roll back into a sphere with your hands. It doesn’t have to look perfectly round, just as long as the filling is securely sealed. Place on a large tray dusted with flour – pinched side down, cover with a dry cotton tea towel and set to rest for 10-15 minutes, or until you are ready to cook them.
Time to Eat… almost
Put a large pot of water on the burner. When the water reaches a consistent boil, gently place the dumplings in and cook for 8-10 minutes. When they all float on the surface, you will know your dumplings are ready to be taken out and seasoned with butter, sour cream and dill.
Now it is time to eat – Smaklig måltid!
EXTRAS AND TIPS
When making the dough for the potato dumplings, you may need more or less of the called for amount of flour, depending on the quality of potatoes you are working with. Overall, the best rule is to develop a feel for what constitutes a workable dough that is firm enough to shape easily while also retaining some malleability. The risk you incur with adding too much gluten to a starchy vegetable is having a gummy finished product, which you clearly want to avoid.
It is important that you squeeze a decent amount of liquid out of the mushrooms and add some firming agent (flour in this case) to avoid the release of water while cooking. If too much liquid is trapped inside the dumplings, they won’t retain their structure while cooking in the boiling water.
Another trick that prevents seepage, or puncture of the dumpling altogether, is leaving the center of the discs of dough thicker than the outer edge before enveloping the filling and forming the potato dumplings.
