Steamed yeast dumplings — parené means 'steamed' — pillowy buns filled with plum jam, curd, or poppy and served under melted butter and sugar. A beloved Czech-Slovak sweet that rises and cooks entirely in the steam over a pot.
Tear one open and steam escapes from a snow-white, springy crumb that bounces back at the touch. The molten jam center is warm and tangy-sweet, soaking into the dough, while butter and poppy seeds add richness and a nutty rasp. It is pillowy, sweet, and deeply homey.
Yeast fermentation produces carbon dioxide that inflates the gluten network, and gentle steaming sets that airy structure without forming a hard crust. Sealing the seam down prevents the jam from leaking as the dumpling expands.
Variations
Filled with plum jam (lekvár), curd cheese, poppy paste, or topped with grated curd instead of poppy
On the Palate
Where Parene Buchty sits in the Slovak flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 30 min
- 18 min
Warm the milk and dissolve yeast with a little sugar to activate it.
Watch outThe yeast milk should froth and go foamy on top within minutes — no foam means the yeast is dead and the buns won't rise.
- 27 min
Mix flour, egg, melted butter, salt and the yeast milk into a soft dough.
- 360 min
Knead until smooth and let rise covered until doubled.
- 48 min
Roll out, cut into squares and place a spoon of jam in each center.
- 56 min
Pinch the edges closed to seal the filling and form smooth balls.
Watch outPinch the seam tight and set it seam-side down — any gap and the jam bursts out as the bun swells while steaming.
- 630 min
Let the filled buns proof again briefly.
- 718 min
Steam them over simmering water until puffed and springy.
Watch outSteam until they swell up and spring back when pressed — and don't lift the lid early or they deflate.
- 83 min
Brush with melted butter and dust with ground poppy seeds and sugar.
