Thanksgiving Eatin'...Apple Dumplings

Yesterday I posted about doing a Baby Countdown, well today I would like to kick-off a recipe that will be the first of several that will make any holiday meal complete with the taste of buttery apples wrapped in whole grain crust with a cinnamony sweet syrup made with sucanat. Of course, we topped ours with a scoop (or two or three) of vanilla ice cream that began to melt quickly over the piping hot dumpling. It really is heavenly.

I will take you either from the top to the bottom, meaning dessert all the way up to the turkey, or I may just skip all around until we get to the turkey. Yesterday we made a pan of dressing that I have been craving for a few weeks now, so that may be next. Just know, that when all is said and done, I hope to have you a complete meal of ideas for you to serve for your family this coming Thanksgiving...or before...and definitely afterwards :)

When our family visited an apple orchard several weeks ago in Tennessee, Keith got this out-of-this-world apple dumpling. We had to come home and try it. But, it had to be made with healthier ingredients or I knew it would only be a one time deal. So, out came my Bread Beckers Recipe Collection book and I began to google apple dumplings. This is the result.

Apple Dumplings

1 recipe for a double-crust pie

6 medium to large Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored

1/2 cup butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup sucanat

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 cups water

2 cups of sucanat with honey or plain sucanat will do

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

cinnamon and nutmeg

double pie crust

taken from Bread Beckers Recipe Collection

2 cups of freshly milled flour (hard white) or

  2 1/2 cups of freshly milled flour (soft white)

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups and 2 Tablespoons butter (12 T.)

4-7 Tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in butter. Add water and mix. If the dough is too wet, add a little more flour. If it is too dry, add a little more water. Divide dough in half and roll out on floured surface.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter 9x13 inch pan.

On lightly floured surface, roll pie crust into large rectangle about 24x16 inches. Cut into 6 squares pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cutter butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple. Reserve remaining butter for the sauce.. Put a heaping tablespoon of sucanat inside the opening of apple letting some fall around the base of the apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.

With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to top of apple, then bring opposite corner to the top and press together. Bring up the two remaining corners, and seal. Slightly pinch the dough at the sides to completely seal the apple. Place in prepared dish.

In a saucepan, combine water, sucanat, vanilla, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg (to your liking sprinkle it in there)  on medium heat. Bring to a boil. Boil for five minutes, or until sucanat is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Cooking and Preparation Tips:

Unless you have an apple core, gently core the apples with a small knife to keep from splitting them apart.

Make sure the pastry is not stuck to surface before placing apples on them or you will have a mess on your hands. It may require a little more flour on the surface. You can always brush it off before placing in the dish.

Don't get all worried if your dumpling looks like one blobby mess once covering your apples, just try to work the dough evenly over the apple. They will come out great anyway.

To me it was important to add some extra cinnamon and nutmeg to the sauce. It not only made your house smell wonderful, it gave it that extra flavor that it needed to round out this fall dessert. Less nutmeg than cinnamon. Nutmeg is very strong.

It took a full 60 minutes to do mine. You need to try your best to make sure crust is evenly distributed around that apple or one part will get more done than another. You are looking for a crispiness to the dumpling that will hold up to the sauce being poured over it.

When ready to serve, use a flat spatula to dip it out into a bowl. Spoon a generous portion of sauce over the dumpling. If you like, add a little whipped cream or all-natural ice cream on the side. Delicious!!

So thankful that God allows us to find pleasure in the foods that He has created and we can enjoy them in moderation,

Nichole