Light Dortmund Beer Soup (Dortmunder Bier Suppe)

This recipe was posted in reply to a message board request. It is from the "Choice Common Markets" cookbook, West Germany section (1973).

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 -8  sugar cubes
• 1  lemon, sliced into quarters
• 2  pints  german lager beer
• 1  large cinnamon stick
• 4  cloves
• 1  pinch salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
• 4  teaspoons cornflour (corn starch)
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 4  eggs, separated
• 1  tablespoon caster sugar (granulated)
•  cinnamon sugar (for garnish)
•  simmering water (to cook the "snow dumplings")

Directions

1. Rub the sugar lumps over the surface of the lemon.
2. Bring the beer to the boil with the cinnamon stick, cloves and sugar lumps.
3. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Blend the cornflour with a little water (1/4 cup) and add it to the soup, to thicken it.
5. When soup has thickened, turn the heat down very low, wait a few minutes, and then whisk in the 4 beaten egg yolks.
6. DO NOT reboil the soup or the yolks will curdle.
7. Keep the soup on a very slow simmer while preparing the"snow dumplings".
8. Whisk the egg whites with 1 Tablespoon of sugar"to a very stiff snow" (stiff enough to hold shape, but not dry).
9. Into a pan of simmering water, drop spoonfuls of the snow and allow them to set (like a dumpling).
10. When set, remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
11. Remove cinnamon stick from soup, and ladle into bowls.
12. The"snow dumplings" are then placed on top of the soup and sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon sugar.