Juicy Yeast Snails with Fruity Filling

A Dutch Oven isn't just for savory dishes – cakes and sweet pastries also turn out wonderfully in it. These Cherry-Nougat Snails combine fluffy yeast dough with a fruity cherry filling and creamy nut-nougat cream.

The snails bake particularly evenly in the cast-iron pot, remaining juicy on the inside while becoming slightly crispy on the outside. This recipe is ideal for a 9 or 12 QT Dutch Oven.

Tip: Instead of cherries, blueberries, mirabelle plums, or plums can also be used.

Ingredients

For the yeast dough

700 g wheat flour

350 ml milk

1 packet vanilla pudding powder (for cooking)

1 cube fresh yeast

70 g butter (soft)

1 egg

1.5 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

For the filling

350 g jarred cherries (well-drained)

approx. 200–250 g nut-nougat cream

2–3 tbsp red jam (e.g., cherry or redcurrant jam)

Powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Prepare the yeast dough

Warm the milk slightly until it is lukewarm.

Mix flour and vanilla pudding powder in a large bowl.

Crumble the yeast and add it to the flour along with milk, sugar, egg, butter, and salt.

Knead everything into a smooth, elastic dough.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for approx. 60 minutes, until it has significantly increased in volume.

2. Roll out the dough

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle approx. 5 mm thick.

3. Prepare the filling

Spread the nut-nougat cream evenly over the dough.

Distribute the well-drained cherries on top.

Finally, add a few dollops of jam.

4. Form the snails

Roll up the dough from the long side.

Cut the roll into 5–6 cm wide pieces.

Lightly grease the Dutch Oven or line it with baking paper.

Place the snails into the pot with the cut side facing up – preferably from the outside inwards.

5. Second rising time

Place the lid on and let the snails rest in the Dutch Oven for approx. 30 minutes so that the dough rises again.

6. Baking in the Dutch Oven

Meanwhile, let about 20–22 briquettes glow through.

For baking:

• approx. 8–9 briquettes under the Dutch Oven
• approx. 12–13 briquettes on the lid

Bake the snails for approx. 40–45 minutes until golden brown.

7. Serving

Let the snails cool slightly, remove them from the Dutch Oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Best enjoyed slightly warm.