“She’s the apple of my eye” ~ Proverb quotes
Apple Dumplings Dipped in Caramel
There are times when old fashioned favorites just hit the spot. Who says old fashioned isn’t terrific? Along with the desire for the latest and greatest, wonderful things are often sacrificed.
Apple dumplings are one of those old time favorites. Imagine a baked apple where the center is overflowing with cinnamon sugar. Then wrap that apple with some crust and you have an old fashioned dumpling. But then
dip that dumpling in some caramel; and you have a whole new layer of lusciousness.
So let’s get started.
Core 4 apples and set aside.
In a small bowl mix together the white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cut each piecrust in half. Roll out each half to allow for 8 inch circles. Cut out leaf shapes with the remaining pie dough.
In the center of each circle, place an apple. Put one-fourth of the sugar mixture in the holes where the cores were, then dot with some butter.
Gently pull up and fold the dough around the apple. Tie the bundle with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the dough with some heavy cream and place the leaves decoratively around the top of the apple. Sprinkle the dough with vanilla sugar or plain sugar. Place the dumplings into a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the apples. Cool the dumplings for 5 minutes after removal from the oven.
While the dumplings are baking, melt some caramel in the top of a double boiler. (I used Merckens caramel available at King Arthur Flour)
Cut 4 pieces of nonstick aluminum foil; and pour a small pool of caramel into the center of each piece of foil. Lift each apple with a spatula and set it into the pool of caramel. With an offset spatula, spread caramel around the bottom sides of each dumpling. Let them set until the caramel hardens. If need be, you can place them in the refrigerator to speed up this process.
When you plate the caramel apple dumplings, insert an apple stick into the center of the dumpling.
Vanilla Sugar:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 of a vanilla bean seeded
In an airtight jar, mix the sugar and the vanilla bean seeds together. Toss in the vanilla bean and let it sit overnight. The longer the sugar sits, more and more vanilla flavor will be infused.
Caramel Apple Dumplings
By Published: November 3, 2013
- Yield: 4 Servings
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
- Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
“She's the apple of my eye” ~ Proverb quotes Apple Dumplings Dipped in Caramel There are times when old fashioned favorites …
Ingredients
- 4 whole honey crisp apples Granny smith may also be used
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/8 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeded
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 15 0z package refrigerated pie crust
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- sugar for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 16 ounces caramel
Instructions
- Core 4 apples and set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean seeds, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Cut each piecrust in half. Roll out each half to allow for 8 inch circles. Cut out leaf shapes with the remaining pie dough.
- In the center of each circle, place an apple. Put one-fourth of the sugar mixture in the holes where the cores were, then dot with some butter.
- Gently pull up and fold the dough around the apple. Tie the bundle with a piece of kitchen twine. Brush the dough with some heavy cream and place the leaves decoratively around the top of the apple. Sprinkle the dough with vanilla sugar or plain sugar. Place the dumplings into a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the apples. Cool the dumplings for 5 minutes after removal from the oven.
- While the dumplings are baking, melt some caramel in the top of a double boiler. (I used Merckens caramel available at King Arthur Flour)
- Cut 4 pieces of nonstick aluminum foil; and pour a small pool of caramel into the center of each piece of foil. Lift each apple with a spatula and set it into the pool of caramel. With an offset spatula, spread caramel around the bottom sides of each dumpling. Let set until the caramel hardens. If need be, you can place them in the refrigerator to speed up this process.
- When you plate the caramel apple dumplings, insert an apple stick into the center of the dumpling.
- Enjoy!!
