I wanted to wait until our Jonagolds were ready to harvest...just cuz I love 'em! I peeled each one and cut it across the center at the widest part, and scooped out the core taking care not to pierce the bottom- cuz you need that to hold all the yummy goodness! A melon baller works great for this process. Then you pack 'em, wrap 'em and bake 'em. When they are all done baking and you pull them out, you'll just be amazed at how beautiful these piping hot little beauties are! Top off each one with your special cider sauce, and then for extra goodness, drop a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream right beside it. Find yourself a easy chair, and then sit down and enjoy!
The recipe:
Dough:
2 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbl. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 sticks of butter, cut into 1/2 in. pieces and chilled
5 Tbl. shortening
1/4 - 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
Mix together well the dry ingredients, then "work in" the butter and shortening until it resembles course cornmeal. If you have a food processor, set it on "pulse" until it resembles that texture. Transfer to a bowl and stir in buttermilk until the dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until the dough is soft and pliable. Set aside.
Apple Filling:
6 Tbl. sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 Tbl. butter, softened
3 Tbl. golden raisins
4 Jonagold or Honey Crisp apples
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Heat the oven to 425 degrees and set your oven rack to the middle. Combine sugar and cinnamon and set aside. In another bowl combine the butter and raisins and 3 Tbl. of the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Pack the hole you've prepared in each apple half with the butter mixture. Roll part of the dough out into a 12 inch square, and then divide into a 6 inch square. Lightly brush each 6 inch square with some egg white and place each stuffed apple into the center. Gather up each side of the dough, one corner at a time, to the top of the apple and crimp the edges together to seal. Cut a vent hole in the top with a knife, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar.
Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper (wax paper won't work- someone tried that once...what a mess!), and place an apple dumpling on top. You should have 8 cute little dumplings. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or so, until golden brown. While they're cooking, you need to make the cider sauce! Cool your little dumplings on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then pour your cider sauce over the top and serve with vanilla ice cream. You might even want some of that scrumptous sauce drizzled over the ice cream too! I'm sure you'll enjoy! Serves 8.
Cider Sauce (makes about 1 1/2 cups) In a saucepan on medium heat, reduce down 2 cups of apple cider with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, until thickened - it takes approximately 15 minutes to reduce it to 1 1/2 cups. Take off the heat and wisk in 2 Tbl. butter and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Keep warm, and drizzle over slightly cooled dumplings.
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