Brown Sugar Apple Dumplings

Apple dumplings are like a cheater’s version of apple pie. And cheating never tasted so delicious!

Yes, it’s August and I’m baking with apples, forgive me. But in the world of food blogging you have to be ahead of the game for all holidays, such as posting Thanksgiving recipes before Halloween so that people can start planning their menus. Which by the way, grocery stores are onto that game as well as I saw Halloween candy displays on July 31. That’s exactly months early people! While I am not opposed to the flavors of fall in the summer, I’m not ready to give up on my berries just yet. But for now, we will meet in the middle with apples.

I am not certain if my memory is accurate, but I think my first experience with an apple dumpling was at the Grand Canyon. More specifically at dinner immediately after spending 3 days rafting down the Colorado river, sleeping on a tarp, and then hiking out of the canyon for 6ish hours. I inhaled that thing. Granted, I probably would have devoured cat food at that point but regardless. Apple dumplings are basically a fancy way of making lazy apple pie but they are so dang good! All you gotta do is wrap an apple stuffed with cinnamon-sugar in pie crust and bake it. Granted I put forth a little extra effort and cut out little crust-leaves from the scraps but that’s just what I do. And serve it with a scoop of ice cream, duh.

This recipe was found in a new cookbook hitting the shelves just in time for back-to-school and soon to be all the fall baking action – How D’Ya Like Them Apples? No seriously, how much do you like them? Cause if you tell me about your favorite recipe featuring apples you could win a copy of your very own! Use the widget located at the bottom of this post to enter.

One year ago: Corn Fritter Breakfast Burgers

Two years ago: Bourbon Pecan Pie for One

Five years ago: Deviled Strawberries

BROWN SUGAR APPLE DUMPLINGS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

CRUST

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/3-1/2 cup cold water, divided

APPLES

2 large baking apples, cored and peeled

4 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, divided

SYRUP

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish and set aside.
2. For the crust, place flour, salt, shortening, and butter in a food processor; pulse until well mixed (should stick together when pinched). With cover on, add 1/4 cup water through the feed tube. Add more water one tablespoon at a time until a dough ball forms.
3. On a floured surface, roll out half of the dough into a 14-inch square (cut edges and save scraps). Place one apple in the center. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and spoon half into the cored hole, letting excess spill onto the outside of the apple. Press 1/2 tablespoon of butter into the core. Wet the edges of the dough. Bring up the corners, one at a time, and fold over the top of the apple, pressing to seal. Use scraps if desired to seal up any holes (or to make pretty crust-leaves like I did). Repeat for second apple.
4. For the syrup, place brown sugar, butter, and water in a small saucepan of medium heat. Cook until sugar dissolves. Let simmer until it starts to thicken.
5. Drizzle a couple spoonfuls of syrup over the dumplings and place on the center rack of the oven. Back for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown, ladling syrup over the dumplings every 15 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before removing to a serving plate or bowl.
6. Add cream to the baking dish and mix together with the thickened syrup. Spoon sauce over the dumplings and serve, with if cream if preferred.

Source: Reprinted with permission from How D’Ya Like Them Apples?

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Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this cookbook from Period Media. All thoughts and opinions are my own.