Pear & Apple Dumplings
Each dumpling is wrapped in dough and baked until golden, served with a spicy sauce. This recipe makes 4 large dumplings. May be used for pears or apples or with a mixture of both. It’s just as easy to make 8 while you are at it. This is an impressive dish to offer for Pot Luck.
Sauce
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
dash of clove
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
Melt butter in small sauce pan; add flour and cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Dumpling Dough
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup Crisco
1/2 cup milk
combine flour, salt and baking powder, cut in Crisco; stir in milk and mix just until dough holds together. Divide dough into four portions; roll each separately on generously floured board into a 61/2 inch square and about 1/4 inch thick.
Filling
4 whole apples or pears or 2 apples and 2 pears, peeled and cored
4 teaspoons butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons raisins (optional)
4 teaspoons nuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup cream
Place apple or pear or 1/2 apple and 1/2 pear in center of each piece of dough; sprinkle each with tablespoon of sugar, raisins and nuts. Bring four corners together and twist slightly. Seal seams together, pressing with fingers. Place in baking dish about 1 inch apart. Pour 1/2 of sauce over all being careful to moisten all of the dough surface. Keep sauce warm to baste often during cooking. Bake in 375-degree oven for about 25 minutes, basting at least 3 times with warm sauce. After 25 minutes, add cream to sauce and continue to bake and baste for another 15 minutes or until dumplings are golden and fruit is tender inside.