Schmapple Schmumplings

Who doesn't like desserts with apples and cinnamon in them!?

That's right...

no one! 

It just dawned on me while writing this blog that last weekend, I made the snicker doodle cake with apples/cinnamon mixture in between layers and this past Sunday I made a dessert with a very similar taste but even BETTER!

Sunday, I made apple dumplings for the first time! As soon as I glanced at the recipe, I knew I had to use it. It reminded me exactly of my dad's apple dumplings that he made on the cool, wintery nights when I was younger. They warmed our bellies up! Although, I didn't remember how cumbersome they can actually be...

I've been using recipes from Taste of Home because they always get great reviews. I should probably leave a review one of these days, I just never think about it. While searching for a scrumptious apple dumpling recipe, I came across lots that had chopped up apples, weird store-bought doughs, and even came across a "southern apple dumpling" recipe that had Mountain Dew as the sauce. Talk about weird! I may have to try them one day though...

Then I came to the recipe that sounded exactly like my dads. It involved full, peeled and cored granny smith apples wrapped up in homemade dough with the yummy cinnamon/sugar mixture sprinkled inside each apple before bundling it up. I made homemade dough when I tackled the blackberry cobbler a few months ago and it's definitely the way to go--I don't use any of that Pillsbury stuff, NOT IN MY HOUSE! It can take some work, especially when you have to mix in the cubed butter for 20 minutes to make the dough crumbly. But then you pop it in the fridge to become "workable" and voila! You have homemade dough that can be made into warm biscuits or used for autumn pies, dumplings, cobblers, bakes, and anything else that involves dough. All it takes is flour, salt, baking powder if you want it to rise, butter, and water! This recipe actually called for shortening but I've learned (thanks Mom) to substitute butter for that. I couldn't even tell you what shortening looks like!

I also added some nutmeg to the cinna-sugar mixture, plopped a teaspoon of that inside of each cored apple along with a teaspoon of butter, wrapped 'em on up, whipped up the sauce, baked for 55 minutes and there ya go!

It's actually not THIS easy. I only made 4 of the dumplings and ended up coring 2 apples and slicing 2 apples. I didn't have a corer handy, unfortunately, and I thought I was going to cut my hand off after the first two by trying to core them with a knife. Therefore, I decided to go the easy (and probably safest) way and slice up the other two. I piled the slices up and wrapped the dumpling that way. It made the two of them open up a little while baking, but this in NO WAY takes away from the warm, amazing, homey, awesome flavor once that fork touches your mouth.

Whether it's an apple pie, an apple bake, an apple cobbler, or an apple dumpling, it all melts in your mouth and is BY FAR the best autumn dessert in all of mankind. I am DEFINITELY going to be making many apple cobblers (it's an easier version of it all) this winter!

Next on the list, PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS!!!!

P.S. Check out Joy of Baking...Joy's blog has been named Best Baking Blog by Food-buzz and was nominated for Best New Blog in the Bloggies. She resides in L.A. and her cookbook has found a place in my home :)