Apple Dumplings with Apple Cognac Sauce

Chunks of apples, their sweetness lightly enhanced with a handful of dark brown sugar, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and gorgeous notes of pure vanilla then wrapped and baked in delicate rounds of pastry. Though wonderful on their own, a drizzle of warm Apple Cognac Sauce pushes them up and over the edge!

Autumn officially arrives this week and the markets are showcasing an immense variety of apples. Grabbing an array of this beloved fall fruit, Apple Dumplings seemed an ideal way to bid farewell to summer and say welcome, to this beautiful season.

Baking with apples is comfortable and familiar. My Grandmothers made cakes and pies, crisps and crumbles. And though many recipes call for one single type of apple, I have long blended at least three to deliver both the tartness and sweetness plus the texture different varieties possess. I usually opt for Gala, McIntosh and Fuji, along with Granny Smith for some tartness. Toss them with spices of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, dark brown sugar, real butter, and pure vanilla extract.

If you’ve followed us for any amount of time or hung out at one of our cooking classes, you know we’re all about using the best ingredients you can find. Vanilla is one of those things you never want to skimp on – always use pure vanilla extract. My “go to” has long been Nielsen-Massey who carry a beautiful collection of pure extracts.

The pastry is a classic pastry dough, made with shortening, flour, baking powder, and a pinch or two of kosher salt. Rolled and cut into rounds, then topped with small chunks of apples, sealed up with another. Brush the dumplings with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake until they’re golden brown.

Then whip up a sauce from apple juice, butter, a touch of sugar, pure vanilla and fresh lemon juice and a splash of Cognac. Serve warm over the dumplings and you’ve got a dish to carry you into the new season!

Apple Dumplings with Apple Cognac Sauce

For the pastry:

1-½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup shortening

4 to 6 tablespoons cold water

1 extra-large egg

1 tablespoon milk

Sugar for dusting, about 2 to 3 teaspoons

For the filling:

6 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon flour

2 to 3 small apples*, peeled, cored, and cubed – about 2 cups

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 teaspoons butter

For the sauce:

¼ cup butter

2-½ tablespoons flour

1-½ cups apple juice

½ cup sugar

1-½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Cognac

To make the pastry:

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.

Using a pastry blender, cut the shortening into the flour until it is about the size of small peas. Add the cold water, starting with 4 tablespoons stirring it until it is mixed in with the flour. Pinch the pastry between your fingers and if it doesn’t holds together add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Turn the pastry dough out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, then gather it into a round. Wrap it up and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

To make the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Toss in the apples along with the vanilla extract, stirring until the apples are coated.

To make the dumplings:

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about ⅛”. Using a 3” round biscuit cutter, cut out a total of 24 rounds, rolling scraps as needed.

On half of the pastry rounds, place about ⅓ tablespoon butter on top followed by about 2 tablespoons of the apples.

Lightly dab the edges with water, then place the remaining pastry rounds on top, gently stretching the dough if needed to cover the apples. Press to seal, then use a fork to crimp the edges. Transfer the dumplings to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Whisk together the egg along with 1 tablespoon milk and lightly brush over the tops of the dumplings. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden in color. While the dumplings are baking, make the sauce.

To make the sauce:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour in the apple juice, whisking into the butter and flour. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and the Cognac. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally for about 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Serve the dumplings with a generous drizzle of warm sauce.

Makes 12 dumplings and about 2 cups of sauce.

*We typically use a mix of apples such as Fuji, McIntosh, or Gala plus Granny Smith. The Granny Smith apples are tart, so we use one with two to three apples that have a sweeter profile.