Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings

Last week, I made several batches of Apple Dumplings.  I took the bullet, made the sacrifice, I did it all for you…yes, really... so that I would be able to tell you the very best way to make Apple Dumplings.  I know, what can I say? What can my waistline say? The  work must go on, the sacrifice must be made.  Somebody has to do it right?  

Look at the cuteness…. the deliciousness of an Apple Dumpling, tried, tested, perfected; well worth the efforts. The first batch was the quick and easy "Poppin Fresh" Cresent Roll  type (but don't tell anyone… it was for the children after all… they wanted a dessert with their fresh picked apples… they wanted it quickly… they asked so sweetly…. it was quick, it was easy… it was delicious).  The next batch was a tad healthier, with a whole wheat crust and coconut sugar syrup. I made the third batch with a standard pie crust and light brown sugar syrup.  I cooked them with skins on and skins off, I cooked them with syrup added at the beginning of the baking time and syrup added in the middle of baking.  

Here is what I thought was the best variation:

Apples Peeled

Standard Pie Crust

Light brown sugar syrup

Syrup added halfway through the baking time

 

The standard pie crust was the tastiest.  I am usually a whole grain person, and I like to incorporate whole grains in most of my baking.  However, I decided this was a special once or twice a year treat…. well okay, three times a year for me so far this week… but you know what I mean. If I only make this once or twice a year, it will be for a special occasion, and if for a special occasion I count flavor, texture and presentation to be the most important…. Sooo, standard Pie Crust wins.  My next observation had to do with the syrup factor.  Most of the instructions for Apple Dumplings will tell you to pour the syrup over the dumplings at the start of your baking time.  I found that this worked well for the "crescent roll" type dumpling, because you start with sliced apples, and therefore the baking time can be quite a bit shorter, because the apples get done fairly quickly; but for Apple Dumplings made with whole apples, you need at least twice the baking time in order to get the apples thoroughly cooked. All that extra cooking time causes your caramel syrup to become very "glunky", thick and gluey.  Not only that, but the base of the dumplings seemed to melt and spread out.  It was still yummy, but not what I was wanting.

Number three dumpling was made by baking the dumplings in a foil covered dish for half of the baking time, then removing the foil, pouring the syrup in around them, and cooking them uncovered the rest of the time.  This was the best method.  It allowed the apples extra time to bake and soften, it allowed the crust time to bake and hold together, and it allowed the syrup enough time to thicken, without becoming too sticky and glunky.  As for peeling or not peeling the apples: they were equally delicious peeled or left unpeeled.  The only negative part of "not peeling" them, is that on a couple of the dumplings, the crust opened, exposing the apple.  I believe the smooth surface of the unpeeled apple caused the pie crust to slip away from the apple, which wasn't as pretty as it could have been.  

These are a wonderful Fall treat, and make a wonderful dessert presentation.  Serve them hot with extra syrup, or with whipped cream or ice cream, and you won't be disappointed.

Begin by mixing together the ingredients for the nutty filling.

This picture was taken with the batch that was made when the syrup was going in at the beginning of baking; but my suggestion would be to first cover and bake the dumplings half of the time, and then half way through the baking, add the syrup, and bake uncovered for the remaining time.

Ingredients:
4 medium sized apples, or 6 small apples
1 recipe for filling
1 recipe for Pie dough, ( you can use any 2 crust pie recipe or even puff pastry dough)
1 recipe for Syrup

For the Filling 

2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
4 Tablespoons butter

5 Tablespoons Chopped Walnuts, Pecans or Almonds

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

For the Syrup:

2 cups Coconut Sugar or Organic Brown Sugar (use a light brown sugar for a lighter syrup and a dark brown sugar for a darker syrup)
2 cups water
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.  
2. Mix together all the filling ingredients, and stir together to form a nutty paste.
3. Refrigerate filling mixture.
4. Divide Pie dough into 4 (or six) equal balls (reserve a small amount to make leaves and stems for decorating) and then refrigerate.
5. Peel and core each apple.
6. To put together the dumplings, roll out each of the dough balls into a circle big enough to cover the entire apple.
7. Place an apple in the center of the rolled out dough.
8. Divide the filling for each apple.
9. Fill the empty core of each apple with the nut filling.  Push the filling until it completely fills the core.
10. Bring the pie dough up around the apple; you can leave the seams of the dough showing or press and smooth the dough to make it look like a smooth apple.
11. Roll out and cut the leaves and stems from the extra dough, and decorate the apple dumpling with them. 
12. Place each finished dumpling into a casserole dish.  
13. Cover the dumplings with foil. 
14. Bake for  15 minutes, then turn the oven to 375. Bake another 15 minutes. 
15. While apple dumplings are baking, combine syrup ingredients in a sauce pan, and heat on medium heat.  
16. Bring the syrup mixture to an easy boil.
17. Simmer and stir  for 2 -3 minutes and remove from heat.
18. When apples have cooked a full 30 minutes, pour the hot syrup around them.
19. Place the apple dumplings back into the oven and cook the remaining 30 -40 minutes, until apples are cooked, crust is lightly brown, and syrup is slightly thickened.

The nutty filling is a delicious surprise inside the dumpling.

Serve it up to someone you love and Enjoy!

14 Southern Recipes for Pie and a Free e-Cookbook

I have been having a bit of catch up time with Steve here in Colorado, and enjoying every moment of being with him… as well as cooking up a storm for him.  I had felt his deprivation of some lovingly made home cooked meals, over the last few months and have been working away to fill  that gap.  He has finally cried "Mercy", so now I am refocusing from the cooking of comfort foods, to the cooking of some leaner meals…. we don't have the metabolism we once had haha.  I haven't quite gotten my blogging inspiration going, so I have been away from blogland longer than I had intended.  Hope to remedy that soon.

I did have some fun news that arrived in my e-mail today so I thought I would share it with you;  I was asked to be a part of an E- Cookbook recently called 14 Southern Recipes for Pie. I was notified today, that it was completed and published. It is put together by FaveSouthernRecipes.  They have featured two of my recipes on their site in the past, (Texas Sheet Cake  and Strawberry Hand Pies), which I have greatly appreciated, and they have just finished this e-Cookbook on Pies, which has my recipe for those Little Strawberry Pies in it.  If you click the link, and scroll down to the Hand Pie Section, you will see my little pies featured there; It is the first picture on the left.  You can also down load the e-Cookbook, it is free.  If you are a "pie junky"  like I am, I'm sure you will love it.

Have a lovely week end Everyone;

Philly Cheese Steak Pie

When I was making the Peach Cream Pie  the other day, I ended up with an extra pie shell, and decided I would make dinner with it; but I was out of any good ingredients for a quiche.  The ingredients I did have were a large amount of red, green and orange peppers, onions and sliced roast beef… "Philly Cheese Steak Pie" was the result.  It came together in 10 minutes and was delicious.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice 3 peppers and 1 medium onion and saute lightly in olive oil.

 Prepare  a pie shell.

 Fill with sautéed peppers and onions.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese evenly over peppers and onions.

 Top with 1/2 pound sliced and chopped Roast Beef.

 Add another layer of cheese (about 3/4 cup).  Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven, approximately 40 minutes.  Remove foil and cook another 5 or 10 minutes.

Philly Steak Pie

Ingredients:

1 single pie crust   (I used this one)

3 medium sized Peppers

1 medium sized onion

1/2 pound sliced and chopped roast beef

1 1/4 cup shredded Provolone Cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare pie shell and set to the side.
3. Slice onions and peppers and saute lightly in olive oil.
4. Spread peppers and onions evenly into pie shell.
5. Top with 1/2 cup cheese.
6. Add roast beef.
7. Top with remaining cheese.
8. Cover with foil and bake approximately 40 minutes.
9. Remove foil and bake 5- 10 minutes more, until crust and cheese is just beginning to brown.
10. Serve and Enjoy.

Peach Cream Pie

Here  is one of my favorite recipes that I got from my Mother in law years ago.  The recipe card with her hand writing is all splattered and stained, now, which shows how much it has been enjoyed.  It disappears quickly, so double the recipe if you can. I am a firm believer in doubling everything... I think it comes from raising a lot of hungry kids and wanting to be one step ahead.  I  usually freeze the extra meal when  I double up a recipe, but I have not frozen this one... I don't think it would freeze very well.

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees.  Blanch the peaches in boiling hot water for 1- 2 minute. Cool slightly and then skin them.

Don't you think they look pretty? Soft, juicy, shiny, peachy, deliciousness.

Prepare a pie shell.  I used my favorite Pie Crust recipe Here

Slice the peaches and arrange them in a pretty way in the bottom of your pie shell.

I couldn't "not" post more pictures than I needed… because... the peaches are just so pretty. Have you ever found that it is hard to sort through your pictures and get rid of them because you just don't need that many for what ever it is you are posting…. but to delete some of them was hard.  I was feeling that way with this post.  Peaches are just such  a peachy subject.

Mix together your remaining ingredients.

Pour the mixture over the peaches.

You could almost eat it just as is; but.... no no, the dough would be raw:) .  Place Foil over entire pie and put into a preheated oven.

Bake for ten minutes, then reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 50 minutes more still covered.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until center is set, and the crust is lightly golden.

Cool and chill.  Serve Cold.

 Peaches and Cream Pie 

Ingredients:1 Single Pie Crust
Fresh Peaches (about 5-7 large)
2 Tablespoons Organic Non-GMO Cornstarch
1 Cup Organic, Unbleached Sugar, Coconut Sugar or Sucanat
2 egg yolks
1 Cup Whipping Cream
1 T Vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  
2. Blanch your peaches in boiling water for about 2 minutes then strain and cool; now your skins will slip right off; then pit them.  
3. Cut them into halves, quarters or eighths, whatever suits you.  The amount of peaches I use varies every time, depending on the size of peaches and the size of my pie crust. 
4. Lay your peaches in the pie shell.
5. In a bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and whisk well.  Add cream and vanilla and whisk again.
6. Pour over the peaches.
7. Cover Pie with foil and bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce heat to 350.  Bake for an additional 50 minutes... or until the cream filling has set somewhat firmly.  
8. Take the foil off and bake 10 minutes more.
9. Cool and then chill in the refrigerator.  
10. Serve Cold.

Enjoy!