Cinnamon Caramel Apple Dumplings With Golden Raisins 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.

APPLE DUMPLINGS WITH RICH CINNAMON SAUCE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Mix 3 Tbs. of butter, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon and all the nuts in a small bowl. Spoon a portion of the mixture into each hollowed-out apple core.
• For boxed pie crusts, unroll one of the dough sheets onto a floured work surface. Pulling on sides of dough to straighten rounded edges, roll it into an approximate 12-inch square, then cut the dough into four 6-inch squares; brush the perimeter of each square with egg white. Set an apple half on each square. Bring up the 4 corners of dough around the apple and pinch edges to seal. Place on a large (at least 18- by 12-inch) parchment-covered baking dish. Brush dumpling tops and sides with egg white; sprinkle with sugar. Repeat process with remaining apples and dough.
• Bake dumplings until pastry sets and starts to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes longer.
• While apples bake, bring 1 cup water, the remaining 2 Tbs. butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon to boil in asmall saucepan over medium heat. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tsps. water; whisk into hot syrup for a smooth sauce. Cover, keep warm.
• For each serving, spoon a portion of sauce on a dessert plate. Set apple dumpling over warm sauce; serve immediately.

CARAMEL APPLE DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Make Caramel Sauce.
• Peel apples, core each, creating a 1" wide hollow from top to bottom.
• Place apples in a bowl and coat with lemon juice.
• On a lightly floured board, roll pastry into a 12" square.
• Cut into four equal squares and center an apple upright on each.
• Pour Caramel Sauce equally into apple hollows.
• Add chopped nuts at this time, if using.
• Brush egg/water mixture over 1/2" wide border around each pastry.
• To wrap each dumpling, with floured finger bring two opposite pastry corners up over apple and pinch tips together. Repeat with remaining two corners.
• Firmly pinch all tips together; pinch each seam, then fold over about 1/8" along the seam and pinch again, leaving no holes.
• Space evenly on a buttered 12x15" baking sheet.
• Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.
• Bake until pastry is deep golden, 10-15 minutes longer.
• With a wide spatula, transfer the dumplings to plates.
• Accompany with remaining caramel sauce and ice cream, if desired.
• Caramel Sauce:.
• In a 2-3 quart pan over medium heat, tilt and swirl sugar often until melted and amber-colored. About 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in whipping cream; mixture will bubble and sugar will harden.
• Stir until sugar melts again and sauce boils, 6-8 minutes.
• At once, pour sauce into a bowl.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Let sauce cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the rum.
• Serve warm or cool.