Apple Dumplings

It is 'that' time of the year for all of us.  No! I don't mean the just the holidays.  I mean cold too! A large segment of the country is covered in cold and snow and ice.
As we hunker down and spend more time inside and spend more time with our families memories come pouring in like a huge snowfall.
For me; one of those memories is of my grandmother's Apple Dumplings.  The sweet smell of them baking, everyone who was older than I, exuding their own excitement till everyone caught it (like the flu lol), and finally hoping to get a little extra of that special syrup.  
Make these and start your own family tradition.

Alice McKinney's Apple Dumplings

4 med-large Baking Apples

Syrup: 
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
1/4 Cup (4 Tablespoonfuls) Butter
1 Tsp Cinnamon
Pastry: 
2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
4 Tablespoonfuls Shortening
3/4 Cup Cold Milk



Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Spray an 8X8 metal baking pan with non-stick spray

Peel and Core the apples and drop into 2 cups of water mixed with 1 tablespoonful of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
Make the Syrup:
Combine all syrup ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce heat to Med-High and cook until thick and syrupy. The syrup should drop from a spoon in light sheets.
Remove from heat.
Make The Pastry.
Stir together the Flour, Salt and Baking Powder.  Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles a fine crumble. Quickly stir in the Milk, stirring just until the pastry comes together.
Roll out the pastry to approximately 1/8 inch using extra flour to keep the pastry from sticking.
Cut the Pastry into 4 squares.  

Remove the apples and pat dry with paper towels.
Place one apple in the middle of each square. Drop one teaspoonful of the syrup in the core hole.
Pull up the corners around the apple, stretching as needed to completely cover the apple, pinching the tips together. Pierce the top with the edge of a paring knife to form a vent hole.

Gently move the Dumplings to the baking pan.
Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes until golden brown and slightly slumping.
Let dumplings cool for 15-20 minutes.
Serve by covering each Dumpling with plenty of the remaining syrup.
Makes 4 Dumplings