Sugar Encrusted Pear Dumplings Recipes

PEACH DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until tender. Remove from heat, drain, and put through a ricer or mash.
• Place the riced potatoes onto a large clean work surface. Crack the egg over the top, then gradually work in the flour with your hands until you get a nice stiff dough. You may not need to use all of the flour, or you may need to use more. This could take as long as 30 minutes, or just seem like it. Let the dough rest for a minute before rolling.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. You may need to roll out 1/2 at a time. cut the dough into 8x8 inch squares - larger or smaller depending on the size of your peaches. Wrap each peach in a square of dough, and pinch all of the seams to seal it in.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the peach dumplings into the water. The peach should be as close to covered with the water as it can get. We usually had 2 or 3 pots with boiling water because you can only fit about 3 to 4 peaches per pot. Boil for 20 minutes, rotating after 10 for even cooking. Remove from water using tongs or a large slotted spoon.
• To serve, place a peach dumpling onto a plate, and cut it up. Remove the pit, and sprinkle with melted butter, sugar and vanilla wafer crumbs.

PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Poach the pears: Combine white wine, lemon juice and peel, granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean and seeds in medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add the pears, lowering the heat, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until pears are tender. If necessary, turn the pears very gently by rotating the stems with your fingertips so that they cook evenly. Remove the pears to a bowl, bring the poaching liquid to rapid boil, and reduce by half. Pour the syrup over the pears and refrigerate, covered, for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
• Assemble the dumplings: Roll out the pastry to a thickness of no more than 1/8 inch. Using a sharp paring knife or pastry wheel, cut dough into triangles (using the pear as a guide for the size). Cut as many leaf shapes as possible from the pastry scraps, and use the back of a paring knife to make the vein markings. Keep the pastry chilled on parchment-lined baking sheets until ready to use.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Remove pears from poaching syrup and pat dry. Reduce syrup to about a cup for serving. Using a Parisian scoop, core each piece of fruit carefully, starting from the bottom to within 3/4 inch of the top; take care to leave the stem intact. Fill each fruit with some of the cinnamon-sugar mixture and dot with butter. Invert each pear onto the center of the triangle of pastry. Lightly brush edges of dough with egg wash. Bring the edges of the pastry together and pinch to seal. Garnish the dumplings as desired by pasting the leaves on with egg wash. Lightly brush each dumpling with egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place the dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until ready to bake.
• Cover stems with a small piece of parchment-lined foil. Bake in upper third of oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of reduced syrup around the base of each pear. Serve warm.

SUGAR ENCRUSTED PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together pecans, honey and lemon peel. Use a melon baller to remove the cores from the bottom of the pears, then peel the pears. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the pecan mixture into the hollow of each pear.
• Lightly roll pie crust into a 12-inch circle; cut into 4 wedges. Place 1 pear on each wedge. Brush edges of pastry with milk. Gently shape dough around pears, trimming away excess dough and pressing to seal.
• You can make ahead to this point, then cover and chill up to several hours. When ready to cook, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.
• Brush pastry with milk; sprinkle all over with coarse sugar or roll pears in the coarse sugar. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes (30 minutes if completing from chilled).
• If desired, drizzle with extra honey just before serving. Serve warm.

PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. In 2-quart saucepan, combine water, the 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon candies and 1/4 teaspoon of the nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to boil. Remove from heat.2. Combine remaining sugar, remaining nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside.3. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 4. Combine KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until dough forms ball. Divide dough evenly into 6 pieces.5. On lightly floured surface, roll each dough piece into 7-inch round. Place pear half, on each round. Sprinkle 1/6 of sugar-cinnamon mixture over each pear half. Gently pull dough up and around pear, molding dough around pear, sealing completely. Place in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Pour hot cinnamon syrup over dumplings.6. Bake at 375°F about 35 minutes or until pears are tender. Baste twice during baking, with syrup around dumplings. Serve warm or cold. VARIATIONS: * Substitute 6 medium nectarines, peeled and pitted, for pears.* Subsitute 6 small cooking apples, peeled and cored, for pears.

COUNTRY-STYLE PEAR DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Prepare Basic Pastry Dough as directed. Cover 2 portions and set aside. Lightly grease an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Set baking dish aside.
• In a small bowl stir together the pecans, brown sugar, orange or lemon peel, and cinnamon. Set aside. Peel pears. Core the pears from the bottom, leaving the stems in place. Press half of the nut mixture into the center of each pear. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of pastry dough into a 7- to 8-inch square. Place a pear in the center of each square. Moisten the edges of the pastry with water. Bring the pastry up around the pear, pleating and pressing to seal around the stem. Roll the pastry back slightly to expose the stem. Place the wrapped pears in the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl stir together the egg white and water. Brush egg white mixture over the wrapped pears. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 40 minutes or until the pears are tender and pastry is golden. Cover pears loosely with foil the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Serve warm. If desired, serve with half-and-half or light cream. Makes 2 dumplings.
• Basic Pastry Dough: In a medium mixing bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 1/3 cup shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Using a total of 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water, sprinkle 1 tablespoon water over part of the mixture, then gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time, until all dough is moistened. Divide into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and flatten slightly. Use 2 of the portions for Country-Style pear Dumplings. (To store the remaining 2 portions of dough, seal portions of dough in moisture- and vapor-proof wrap, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. To use, let dough stand at room temperature about 1 hour or until thawed. Continue as directed in individual recipes.) Makes 4 portions total.