This wintery dish, also known as “Fliederbeersuppe mit Klössen”, is not only a culinary delight, it is also valued from generation to generation as a soul warmer and immune system booster.

It has a long tradition in North German families. When I talked about it with my friends at college, I realized that many people from other parts of Germany may not be familiar with the term “lilac berries.” So, just to clarify, elderberries are harvested in autumn and processed into lilac berry juice, which forms the basis for this heart-warming soup. The antioxidants and vitamins contained in the juice can help strengthen the immune system.

Recipe: Lilac berry soup with semolina dumplings

Ingredients for the soup:

– 0.7 litre lilac berry juice

– 1 cinnamon stick

– 2 cloves

– 150 g sugar

– 2 tbsp cornflour

– 0.3 litre water

– 2 apples

– 2 pears

Ingredients for the dumplings:

– ½ litre milk

– 150 g durum wheat semolina

– 5 tsp sugar

– 1 sachet vanilla sugar (possibly 2 sachets)

– 1 egg

To make the semolina dumplings, start by bringing the milk to a boil. Then, stir in the semolina, sugar, vanilla sugar, and egg. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it set.

In a separate pot, bring the lilac berry juice, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar to a boil. Finally, thicken the juice with a mixture of starch and water. Dice the apples and pears, cook them briefly, and then add the vanilla semolina. Once they float to the top, the soup is ready to serve.

I hope you enjoy this North German feel-good recipe and have a wonderful meal! Guten Appetit!