Really. Just forget any other recipes I've given you over the years for dumplings, and use this one instead. I'm not kidding, they were that good. Light, yet sturdy enough to hold together, the pastry was flaky and tender. The apples cooked to soft perfection, and the filling was sweet, but not overly so. Mr. ETB described them as bite after bite of the, "best parts of an apple pie." I have to agree. In the past, I've made apple dumplings that had a sticky coating poured over them as they bake. Those were good, but they didn't really last more than an hour or so. These re-heated well with just a few seconds in the microwave. They're still full of butter, but somehow these dumplings seemed less leaden than the typical version.
Blogger is doing some sort of photo-updating, so I can't post the pictures tonight, but I'll give you the recipe before I forget.
I served these warm, with heavy whipped cream sweetened with maple syrup.
You Will Need:
Pastry (recipe follows below)
4 large apples (I used Golden Delicious), peeled and cored
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons raisins
1/4 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons chopped, crystalised ginger
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
Dash of salt
Cream and sugar for glazing
Pastry recipe:
2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, cut in tiny bits
3-4 tablespoons ice water
Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter. Add water, a tablespoon at a time until dough comes together. Divide into 4 pieces, and let rest while you make the filling.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. Peel and core apples, Toss with lemon juice and let stand a few minutes. Meanwhile, mix the dried fruits, sugar, salt and butter together. Divide into 4 parts.
Drain apples and pat dry. Stuff each with 1/4 of the filling. Roll out dough into 4 equal squares. In the centre of each, place a filled apple-you may need to trim the bottom to get it to stand. Bring together sides, and pinch closed. Place on baking sheet. When all are completed, chill for 20 minutes as the oven heats.
Before baking, brush with heavy cream (or milk) and sprinkle with sugar. Bake about 45 minutes, or until deeply golden. Serve warm with cream, or whipped cream, or whatever you like. If you plan to serve them later, let them cool on a rack, then re-heat in a microwave for about half a minute.
4 comments:
Apple dumplings/turnovers are my favorite thing to have with morning coffee. The caffeine, sugar and natural fruit-sugar combine in my system in a super-soothing manner. I totally feel my blood chemistry change and it feels oh so great.
I suppose the silver-lining to this stupid illness of mine, is that I can rarely indulge in what I've baked. Unfortunately, you can mash an apple dumpling up pretty well with a fork, thereby making it easier to swallow with a nice cup of tea. I ate an entire half last evening, was almost instantly sick, and not an hour later, was looking for the other half to try again!
Funny, I can pass up most cakes, bread (I haven't eaten bread in a couple years) etc. but if you put baked apples in front of me, I just completely lose control. I mean, applesauce is nice, and I eat it, but you're right-the pastry/sweet apple combination does something to the brain.
Finally, a use for that crystalized ginger lerking in my cupboard.
The high praises will have me making this over the weekend.
Good luck, I hope you like it.
Ginger gets a chance to lurk in your house? I have to hide it in mine.
Iy will sound crazy, but I like to add it to vegetables like carrots, or in a cous cous with raisins. It adds some spice with sweetness and really gives carrots some depth.
Anyway, have fun with the dumplings, and let me know how they work for you.
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