Dampfnudeln (German Steamed Yeast Dumplings)

Instructions

1. For the dough, mix the all-purpose flour, instant yeast, 50 g granulated sugar and salt. Add the 250 ml lukewarm whole milk, the egg and the melted butter and knead until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 110 g each) and shape each into a tight, smooth ball. Set them on a floured board, cover with a towel and let rise until puffy, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile make the vanilla sauce: heat the 500 ml milk with the vanilla bean and its seeds until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks, 60 g sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then slowly whisk in the hot milk. Return to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon and reaches 160°F (71°C), 4 to 6 minutes; do not boil. Strain, discard the bean and keep warm.
4. In the skillet, bring the 200 ml milk, 40 g butter and 30 g sugar to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts.
5. Set the dough balls in the pan close together but not squashed. Cover immediately with the tight-fitting lid; if it does not seal well, wrap a damp towel around the rim.
6. Cook over medium-low heat without lifting the lid until the milk has been absorbed and you hear the bottoms crackling and smell caramel, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and wait 2 minutes, then lift the lid straight up so condensation does not drip on the buns. Lift the dumplings out with a spatula, caramel side up, and serve warm on a pool of vanilla sauce.