Salzburger Nockerl

Salzburger Nockerl (pl., Austro-Bavarian: Soizburga Noggal) are a sweet soufflé served as a dessert, a culinary specialty in the Austrian city of Salzburg.

Salzburger Nockerl
Salzburger Nockerl as they should be served: golden with a bit of sugar
TypeSoufflé
Place of originAustria
Region or stateSalzburg
Main ingredientsFlour, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, egg whites, pimienta

Recipe

The sweet soufflé are made of egg yolk, flour, sugar, and vanilla (or vanilla sugar), mixed into a dough. Then, egg white and granulated sugar are whisked into a meringue with until soft peaks form and then mixed into the dough with spatula. Afterwards, dumplings (Nocken, diminutive: Nockerl, cf. Gnocchi) of the mixture are baked in an oven until lightly brown on the outside (10-12 minutes).[1]

Salzburger Nockerl are always freshly prepared and served warm with powdered sugar, sometimes with a raspberry sauce or any other fruit spread layered on the bottom of the soufflé.[2] Though traditionally a dessert, the dish is filling enough to eat as a main course.

Cultural significance

Presumably derived from French soufflé dishes, Salzburger Nockerl, like Kaiserschmarrn or Apple strudel, have become an icon of Austrian cuisine. Legend has it that they were invented by Salome Alt (1568–1633), the concubine of Prince-Archbishop Wolf Dietrich Raitenau in the early 17th century. In any case the golden dumplings represent Salzburg's Baroque atmosphere left by the territorial prince, whose life of dissipation came to an end when his archbishopric was challenged by the Bavarian neighbours. They are supposed to represent the hillsides surrounding the city centre: Gaisberg, Mönchsberg and Kapuzinerberg. The dusting of powdered sugar resembles the snow-covered peaks.[3]

Fred Raymond (1900–1954) composed in 1938 an operetta called Saison in Salzburg - Salzburger Nockerln (Season in Salzburg - Salzburger Nockerln). In this composition the sweet dumplings are praised as “Süß wie die Liebe und zart wie ein Kuss” (meaning Sweet as love and tender as a kiss in German).

References

  • Nicole Stich, Delicious Days (2008) ISBN 3-8338-1222-2
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