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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!
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 12 dumplings

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • 3" diameter biscuit cutter
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • small saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 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
  • 3 apples*, peeled, cored, and cubed – about 2 cups
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons 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 1 tablespoon Cognac

Instructions
 

  • 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 rimmed 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. Makes 2 cups of sauce.
  • Serve the dumplings with a generous drizzle of warm sauce.

Notes

*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.