Instructions:

1. Warm 100 ml milk with 1 tsp sugar, crumble in the yeast, sprinkle the top with flour, and let it rise.

2. Place the flour in a bowl, add the powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and the risen yeast. Gradually add enough lukewarm milk to form a soft, kneadable dough. Start kneading (or use a mixer). Once the dough comes together, work in the melted butter or margarine. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth.

3. Sprinkle the top with flour, cover, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

4. When risen, turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to about 1 cm thick (⅜ inch). Cut circles with a small cookie cutter or glass. Arrange the circles in a well-buttered 24 cm (9 ½ inch) cake tin — don’t place them too tightly, as they will rise again.

5. Brush generously with melted butter or margarine, sprinkle with the walnut-sugar mixture, and repeat the layers until the dough is used up (usually 3 layers). Finish with a layer of sugared walnuts, drizzling with a little extra butter.

6. Let the dough rise in the tin for another 30 minutes.

7. Baking: Preheat the oven to medium heat (180°C / 350°F). Bake the dumplings for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

8. Vanilla sauce: In a saucepan, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar. Add the pudding powder and mix well with 100 ml (⅓ cup) cold milk. Meanwhile, bring the remaining milk to a boil. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Return to the stove and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens.

9. Let the sauce cool slightly and serve with the warm golden dumplings.