Apple Dumplings

I haven't had an apple dumpling in probably almost 30 years! My mom used to make them for dessert after Sunday dinner in the fall after apple picking. This is the first time I've ever tried to make them myself. They didn't look beautiful (one or two did though!) But they tasted so good!!!!!!

Apple Dumplings
Syrup
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 C water
1/4 C butter
Dough
2 1/4 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C shortening
1/2 C milk
Filling
6 small apples, peeled & cored or cut into large wedges (I prefer MacIntosh)
1/3 C sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
butter

For syrup:
In a saucepan, combine 1.5 C sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.


Add water and stir.


Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook five minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add butter.


Stir in until melted and set aside.


For dough:
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.


Cut in shortening


Until coarse loose crumbs.


Add milk all at once;


Stir just till all is moistened.


Form into a ball.


On a floured surface


Roll out into an 18x12 in rectangle... yeah ok, it's not very rectangular, but I did say I hate to work with dough!


Cut into 6 six inch squares.


For Filling:
Peel & core apples. If you don't have an apple corer(is that even a word??), like me, cut them in halves or quarters and remove seedy part. (I think halves would have been better!)



Place an apple in the center of each square.


In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg.
Sprinkle apples generously with sugar mix & dot each with butter.


With wet fingertip, moisten edges of dough and fold corners to center atop each apple.


Pinch the edges together.



Place in a 13x9 x2 baking dish. (due to my lack of dough rolling skills, only one or two were actually neatly put together!)


Pour syrup over dumplings.




Bake in a 375 oven for 45 min or until apples are tender.


(this one looks right!)


My mom used to color the syrup red... I wish I had... I will next time! I 'guessed' that she got her recipe from the Red & White Checkered Better Homes cookbook. She did, but she changed it up! Her changes are for the filling she uses a mix of white & brown sugar and she dyes the syrup red for a more festive looking dessert.