Perfect apricot dumplings: the complete guide

Romanian Găluște cu Caise. Plus a Cookery Class in London.

The first apricot of the season is never quite sweet. And I love that.

The ones I look for are still a little firm, just beginning to turn pale yellow, with pink blushes spreading across their skin. When I bite into one, the tartness makes my face scrunch. Near the stone, apricots have a faint almond-like bitterness — a reminder that they’re botanical cousins of almonds, peaches, and plums. Hidden inside each pit is a kernel with the distinctive flavour of marzipan, which I loved cracking open and eating as a child. These days, I hear they can be poisonous, though presumably only in large quantities; I certainly don’t remember ever feeling sick, even after eating quite a few.

The first apricot of the season carries me back in time. In my mind, I’m in my parents’ garden again, leaves rustling overhead as I reach up and twist another apricot from the tree. “Leave them alone,” Dad shouts from across the garden “They’re not ripe yet. We won’t have any left to eat.”

I can still hear his voice as clearly as if it happened yesterday, though it was twenty years ago. It’s as if someone presses play, and an old film begins to flicker in front of my eyes: the tree, the garden, the soft snap as I twist another fruit from the tree, my dad…

And then, somehow, I think of găluște cu caise, apricot dumplings.

I never needed a recipe for apricot dumplings. Or for their late-summer counterpart, plum dumplings. At home, we simply made them.

The three of us would gather in the kitchen: Mum, my sister and I. Without discussing it, we’d slip into our familiar roles. One person mashed potatoes. Another prepared the fruit. Someone measured flour, set a large pot of water on the stove, or melted butter in a frying pan for the breadcrumbs.

There was no cookbook open on the counter. What I remember isn’t being told what to do. I remember being taught what to notice:

• The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky.

• The water should simmer gently, never furiously boil.

• The breadcrumbs should turn golden and smell nutty from the butter.

• And the dumplings should rise to the surface when they’re ready.

The first dumpling was always for testing.

We’d split one open while it was still too hot to handle. Inside, the apricot had collapsed into a molten, jammy centre. The fruit mingled with cinnamon sugar, toasted breadcrumbs and steaming dough.

Sweetness met tartness. Crunch met softness.

It’s the kind of flavour combination that stays with you for life. And I think of it every time I have the first apricots of the season.

An unspoken rule of summer

In our family, making apricot dumplings was never treated like a special occasion. It was simply what happened when the apricots arrived.

Not a written rule. Just one of those rhythms that shape family life: knowing which recipes belonged to which month of the year.

It was only after I moved to the UK that I realised how much I had taken those rhythms for granted.

Distance has a way of revealing the weight of ordinary rituals. The things that once felt automatic begin to glow in memory. You realise they were never just recipes, but ways of marking time, and ways of spending it together.

That’s why I’m writing this recipe down now, because I want to share it with you, and hopefully, you will share it with others. It’s similar to the plum dumpling recipe in my dessert book, Tava, and when the time is right, you should try that too.

Apricot Dumplings

Găluște cu caise

Ingredients

Make 16 

500 g potatoes, diced 

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 

1 medium egg, beaten

130 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

16 small apricots, cut in half and pitted 

For the coating 

40 g unsalted butter 

150 g breadcrumbs 

80 g caster sugar 

1 pinch of salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

Method:

In a large pan, boil the potatoes until soft. Drain and return them to the pan over a low heat to evaporate as much water as possible. Add the oil and mash them with a fork. Set aside to cool completely. 

Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs by heating the butter in a large frying pan. When it reaches a deep golden colour, add the breadcrumbs and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Be careful, as they can burn very quickly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then stir in the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Spread the mixture over a shallow plate. 

When the potatoes have cooled, add the egg and flour and knead briefly by hand. The dough will be rather soft and sticky, but this is what makes the dumplings light and fluffy. Flour your workspace and your hands generously, and gently roll the dough into a log, 50 cm long. Divide it into 16 pieces. Keep flouring your palms and fingers lightly. 

Take one piece of dough and press it into a circle in your palm. Stick together two apricot halves and place them in the middle of the disc, seal the dough around them well, then roll it between your palms. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest. 

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then add the dumplings in batches and simmer for up to 10 minutes. When ready, they should rise to the surface of the water. Use a slotted spoon to remove them, then roll them gently in the breadcrumbs. 

Arrange on a large plate and serve warm or cold.

Poftă bună. Enjoy

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Cooking Class in London, 11th June at Divertimenti Cookery School

I’m trying to let people know about this cookery class I’m teaching at Divertimenti in London on June 11th: Transylvanian Cuisine and Paprika Masterclass. We’ll make a quick Chicken Paprikas:

…and these fantastic Transylvanian breads stuffed with potatoes and caraway, while learning about different flavours of paprika.

Plus we’ll learn about paprika.

The feast at the end of the class will be a journey through the flavours of Transylvania: tarragon, garlic, sour cream, plus, of course, paprika and caraway. I’ll demo other dishes too and bring some from home for us to enjoy at the end.

Book via Divertimenti’s website and I’ll see you there.

Details here.

What I’ve been up to lately:

Danube Delta Tour:

I have opened bookings for my new culinary tour in the Danube Delta and have been overwhelmed by the positive response. Thank you to everyone who has booked. If you’re interested in joining us in 2027, please let me know. For 2028 bookings, email me as I already have a list of interested participants. Details here: https://irinageorgescu.com/danube-delta-culinary-tour/

Cambridge Talk about Romanian Cuisine

In April, I had the pleasure of speaking to students at the University of Medieval Studies about Romanian cuisine and language. There was so much curiosity about how our food can tell the history of Romania, and how our words offer a deep dive into the stories of transhumance, empires and migration.

I would love to see this become part of the curriculum, so more students can access these stories — and so we can continue to connect through food and culinary traditions.

The Great Taste Awards

This year, I officially became a judge for the Great Taste Awards, one of the world’s most respected food and drink accreditation schemes. Founded in 1994 by the Guild of Fine Food, the awards recognise outstanding products through a rigorous blind-tasting process, where only flavour, texture, aroma and overall quality matter.

If you’ve ever spotted the black-and-gold Great Taste stars on a product, you’ll know they are widely regarded as a mark of excellence.

So far, I’ve judged products from Britain, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Hungary and many other countries. Every session is a fascinating opportunity to discover new producers, ingredients and food traditions.

Next up is the International Cheese & Dairy Awards in June, where I’ll be volunteering as a steward to learn more about the judging process and the scale of the competition. It’s also inspired me to begin formal cheese education, and I’ve recently enrolled in Level One of the Academy of Cheese accreditation programme.

It’s an exciting new path, and one I’m looking forward to sharing more about in the months ahead.

Bristol Feast On Food and Drink Festival

On 25th July, I’ll be at the fabulous Feast On Food Festival in Bristol, 1pm on the live cooking show stage. I’ll be talking about the flavours of Transylvania and cooking a couple of dishes you’ll be able to taste at the end. Think a refreshing soup, a fermented drink and some sauerkraut fritters. Details about the festival here:

Speak soon. Go and make the apricot dumplings!

Irina X

Romanian Cuisine in Three Cookery Books