Salzburger Nockerln With Preserves

Salzburger Nockerln, or "Salzburg Dumplings," is a sweet soufflé or omelet that resembles three or more golden church domes in a baking dish. It is an easy recipe that is great breakfast or brunch idea as well as a dessert. I make vanilla sugar by putting a vanilla bean in a container with sugar, it sits in my pantry.... you could either buy vanilla sugar already made or just add real vanilla extract to the sugar. This is especially good with Vanilla Sauce, warm Chocolate Sauce, or cold Strawberry Sauce.

• Ready In: 23 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4  teaspoons unsalted butter
• 4  teaspoons  red currant preserves or 4  teaspoons  grape preserves
• 9  large  egg whites, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup  vanilla sugar
• 1⁄2 lemon, zest of
• 4  egg yolks
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  sifted all-purpose flour
•  confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2. Place four 9" oval au gratin dishes (or one large oval glass/ceramic lasagna dish) on a baking sheet.
3. In each small dish place 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon preserves. (If you are using a lasagna pan, smear the bottom with the butter and then with preserves.).
4. Combine egg whites, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest in a large metal bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
5. Beat egg yolks with granulated sugar. Gently fold the egg yolks and flour into the meringue. Use a spatula to place three large mounds of the mixture into each au gratin dish. Lightly smooth the surface of each peak and valley.
6. Bake for 8 minutes, until puffed and golden.
7. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.