Old-Fashioned Apple Dumplings

  When Bob and I were kids, Mom always knew to make apple dumplings if she wanted to give us a real treat. I haven't attempted it since she died but with the apple season in full swing, I thought it was about time I gave it a shot.

 Tom and I stopped by Crossroad Orchard in Miamisburg a few days ago. Sadly they were marked "closed for the season". Not to be discouraged, we drove to Meijer's and found more apples than we'd know what to do with. We picked a variety of six beautiful Michigan apples (total cost $1.58). Each was tagged and I suppose I should have kept track of which apple dumpling was which ... but I didn't.

 The apples I used were Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Rome, Empire and Jonathan. Just chose tart or sweet apples according to your taste.

 I used the recipe in Mom's Mennonite Community Cookbook. It's posted on the web here.

 Before I even began, I invested in an Oxo Apple Corer. I'd highly recommend this model. The stainless steel "blade" cuts into the apple easily and the core just slides out without effort. Apparently Mom used to use a knife but I prefer not to handle sharp objects in this way (plus I'm a klutz).

 It's less than $10 and available at Amazon by clicking here.

 The core is small enough not to waste much of the apple. I suppose a few seeds might be left behind but they can be easily removed while eating the dumpling. I remember Mom missing a few seeds so it'll be like old times. As for the peelings, Tom ate those.

 This is how the dry ingredients look after the shortening has been cut in. It's a little crumbly. Then the milk is added and the mixture worked a bit with the fingers then poured out on a pastry cloth to roll.

 Note: I found 1/2 cup of milk insufficient, I ended up using 3/4 cup to get the mixture damp enough to clump together and work. I also used a whole teaspoon of cinnamon and that seems right to me. I did not use any nutmeg.

 Here's the cored apples in the greased pan (above) ready for the sauce to be added. Keep the openings to the core accessible since some of the sauce should be poured into them.

 Now, with the sauce added, the apple dumplings are ready for the oven.

 I baked them for 35 minutes but when I make them again I'll  use the 40 minute suggestion. These were large apples and while they are certainly baked, they're also a bit more firm than I would choose.

 The finished dumplings look beautiful. As you can see, the dough retracted a bit in spots but I like the rustic look it gives them. I wasn't striving for perfection.

 Upon serving, the sauce in the pan can be used to baste the dumpling further. I'll store them in the refrigerator and microwave them a bit just before serving.