Apple Dumplings

A great weekend recipe...and well worth the effort!

Apple Dumplings

Sauce:

1 c. sugar

1 T. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. water

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. nutmeg

1/4 c. butter

Dumplings:

2 c. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2/3 c. shortening

1/2 c. milk

6 Macintosh apples, peeled and cored

Additional sugar, cinnamon, and butter

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter a 9x13 pan.

Make sauce: Place sugar, cornstarch, water, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter in a small pan. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For Dumplings: Place flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Mix with fork. Cut-in shortening with pastry cutter or fork until well incorportated and crumbly. Add milk to bowl all at once and use fork just to moisten mixture (don't over mix).

Place dough on lightly floured surface and form into a ball. Roll out until large enough to cut 6 six-inch squares (to wrap your apples in). Note: You could probably stretch your dough if you have 7 or 8 apples.

Place one whole apple in the middle of a square, fill the core with a spoonful of sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a dollop of butter. Fold the corners of the pastry to the top center of each apple, and pinch together seams and cracks so apple is completely covered with crust. Place dumplings in pan and pour the sauce over all the dumplings. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar and bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve WARM with vanilla ice cream!