Apple Cranberry Dumplings Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED APPLE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch pan.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a large rectangle, about 24 by 16 inches. Cut into 6 square pieces. Place an apple on each pastry square with the cored opening facing upward. Cut butter into 8 pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in the opening of each apple; reserve remaining butter for sauce. Divide brown sugar between apples, poking some inside each cored opening and the rest around the base of each apple. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the apples.
• With slightly wet fingertips, bring one corner of pastry square up to the top of the apple, then bring the 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 in the apple. Repeat with the remaining apples. Place in prepared baking dish.
• In a saucepan, combine water, white sugar, vanilla extract and reserved butter. Place over medium heat, and bring to a boil in a large saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes, or until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour over dumplings.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Place each apple dumpling in a dessert bowl, and spoon some sauce over the top.

CRANBERRY APPLE DUMPLINGS WITH CRIMSON SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease bottom of jelly roll pan, 15 1/2x10 1/2x1 inch, or large cookie sheet with shortening. In 1-quart saucepan, heat cranberry sauce, orange juice and candies over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and candies are melted; remove from heat.
• In medium bowl, cut shortening into flour and salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). Roll pastry into rectangle, 18x16 inches. Cut pastry into four 8-inch squares, using pastry cutter or knife. Cut leaves from remaining 2-inch piece of pastry, using small leaf-shape cutter, pastry cutter or knife.
• Place apple on each pastry square. Spoon 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce mixture into center of each apple. Sprinkle each apple with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Moisten corners of pastry squares. Bring 2 opposite corners of pastry up over apple; pinch to seal. Repeat with remaining corners; pinch edges of pastry to seal. Decorate with pastry leaves. Place dumplings in pan. Brush with egg; sprinkle with additional sugar.
• Bake about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Garnish each dumpling with mint leaf. Serve warm with remaining sauce mixture.