Apple Dumplings

I start to salivate at the mere mention of these babies. Mmmmm... These are worth every bit of the effort it takes (they're not difficult, but since I rarely make dessert, any work is more effort than usual). In fact, these are so good, you should run to your nearest orchard, pick up some Rome apples, rush back home, and have these for dinner. Seriously, if you're going to be eating these, why add any extra calories beforehand? This is a luscious tradition I married into: these apple dumplings for dinner one night every fall. Incidentally, perhaps dangerously, they freeze well. So, now my freezer has 12 in it waiting for a good excuse.... Photos are for the steps taken to freeze them; I'll post a final, cooked picture next time we eat them if we can hold off eating them long enough!

Recipe from my mother-in-law

Dumplings

• 6 medium-sized apples (large if you're feeling indulgent; Romes are best, and my mother-in-law also uses Winesaps)
• 2 c. flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 2/3 c. shortening (can use half butter)*
• 1/2 c. milk

I suppose you could use all butter, too. You may want to refrigerate dough after rolling it out for a bit so it will harden back up; the butter can make the crust almost too soft to work with if it gets warm enough.

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Cut in shortening/butter. Add milk and stir until moistened.
2. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface in a rectangle 18x12-inches. Cut into 6 squares.
3. Peel and core the apples. Place one apple on each dough square. Sprinkle each apple with sugar (optional), cinnamon, and dot with butter. Wrap dough around apples.
4. To freeze: Place apples on cookie sheet and flash freeze. When dumplings are hard, pop them off the cookie sheet and into a ziploc bag. Put them in the baking dish the night before in the refrigerator to thaw (cover with saran wrap).
   
5. To bake: Place in an ungreased 11x7-inch baking dish (I've also used an 8x8-inch and a loaf pan together--they just need to fit right next to each other and the sides of the pan without being mashed together--a snug fit). Pour syrup (recipe below) over and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
   
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Syrup--make when you are ready to cook the dumplings

• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 3 T. butter

Put water, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add butter.

Serves 6