Baked Apple Dumplings

This is from a faded newspaper clipping with a wonderful recipe. A year or so ago, I searched everywhere for different types of apple recipes. I sure wish I’d found this one that was buried in a stack of old recipes.

I copied the recipe as it was printed. I don’t know which newspaper. It tells you to transfer the dough to a floured board. I use a flour cloth. Many, many years ago I invested in a flour cloth. One of the best things ever. It’s probably just a piece of canvas cloth, though it came in a specially-marked plastic bag. I’m not even sure where I got it. But I sure have used it over the years.

Baked Apple Dumplings

1 ½ cups water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
Ground cinnamon
4 small tart apples, about 1 lb. total, peeled, halved and cored
1 ½ cups chopped peeled tart apple
Whipping cream, optional

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine water, sugar and lemon juice in small saucepan. Bring to boil. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Set syrup aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with metal blade. Add 2 ½ tablespoons butter and process (or cut with pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ½ cup water. Mix until dough just begins to clump together. Transfer dough to floured board.

Compact dough with hands. Cut in half, then cut each half into quarters to make 8 equal-size pieces. Gently pat each piece into 3-inch round. (Flour hands for easier handling if dough is sticky.) Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Place each piece apple, rounded side down, on center of dough. Wrap dough around apple, gently easing dough to cover fruit completely. Repeat with remaining dough, cinnamon and apples.

Arrange apples, cut side down, in 2-quart round or square baking dish, spacing evenly. Fill spaces with chopped apples. Pour syrup over dumplings. Sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with 1 ½ tablespoons butter. Place dish on baking sheet (to catch any spills).

Bake at 350 degrees until lighty browned, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Brush dumplings with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, melted. Cool on rack at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm with whipping cream, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: If apples are large, use 2, cutting them into quarters. Dumplings can be made several hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in 350-degree oven until warmed through,