Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings

by Carla Tuhacek

These take a while to prepare, but they’re impressive and sooooo delicious.

2 1⁄2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1⁄2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup shortening
1⁄2 cup diced mixed dried fruit
2 Tbsp. margarine or butter
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 small apples (6 oz. each)
1 large egg, beaten
6 whole cloves

In large bowl, mix flour, salt, and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar. With pastry blender cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 5 to 6 Tbsp. cold water until dough holds together; set aside. In small bowl, mix dried fruit, margarine, 1⁄4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.

Peel apples. With melon baller, remove cores, but do not go all the way through to the bottom. Press dried-fruit mixture into cavities. Preheat oven to 400°. Grease jelly-roll pan.

Reserve 1/3 cup dough. On floured surface roll out remaining dough into 21″ x 15″ rectangle. Cut dough into six 7-inch squares.

On waxed paper, mix remaining 2 Tbsp. brown sugar and 1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon. Roll an apple in sugar mixture. Center apple on a dough square. Brush edges of dough with some beaten egg. Bring dough up over top of apple. Press to shape; seal edges. Place in pan. Repeat to make 6 dumplings.

Roll reserved dough 1⁄4″ thick. Using knife, cut out as many leaves as possible. Score leaves with back of knife to make veins. Brush dumplings with egg. Attach leaves; brush with egg. Press in cloves for stems. Bake 35-40 minutes, until pastry is golden and apples are tender. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.