Apple Dumplings

Dumpling Ingredients
6 medium sized baking apples
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup milk
Cinnamon and sugar

Directions
Peel apples and leave whole, removing core carefully. If you prefer, you can cut apple in half  to remove core. Set aside.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in shortening until particles are about the size of small peas.

Sprinkle milk over mixture and press together lightly, working dough only enough to hold together. Roll dough as for pastry. Cut into 6 squares and place an apple on each one. Fill cavity of the apple with cinnamon and sugar. Wrap dough around the apple and fasten edges securely at the top of the apple. Place into greased baking dish, one inch apart. Pour sauce over dumplings and bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the apple is soft.

Sauce
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Cook brown sugar, water and cinnamon together for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter. Pour sauce over dumplings and bake as directed above.



This recipe has been adapted from the Mennonite Community Cookbook, a book found in many homes in my local area of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is full of  old fashioned recipes and this is one that continues to be used.

I was a part of a local benefit auction this weekend and it is a tradition to auction off the very first apple dumpling of the day! This years' first dumpling brought $75.00, all in good fun and as a benefit to the school.

If you have never been to a benefit auction - you should try it sometime! It's a lot of fun and for a good cause.