Chef John's Apple Dumplings
Description
A simple, three-ingredient brown sugar sauce is the key to Chef John's version of American apple dumplings using Honeycrisp apples and pie crust dough.
Ingredients
•
1 teaspoon butter, or as needed
•
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
•
1 cup cold water
•
3 tablespoons butter
•
3 tablespoons white sugar
•
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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4 small Honeycrisp apples
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1 recipe prepared pie crust dough
•
4 teaspoons butter
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with 1 teaspoon butter.
2
Combine brown sugar, water, and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; boil until sugar is dissolved. Turn off heat; swirl pot gently to combine. Set sauce aside.
3
Combine white sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside. Core unpeeled apples; set aside.
4
Divide pie dough into 4 portions. Roll each dough portion out on a lightly floured surface into a circle large enough to fully wrap an apple, about ⅛-inch thick and 7 inches in diameter.
5
Place apples in center of each dough round; spoon about 3 teaspoons cinnamon sugar into each apple core. Fill each hole with 1 teaspoon butter.
6
Wrap up apples in pie dough; seal dough together at the top. Be careful not to pull and stretch dough too tightly around apples as you wrap, or it might break apart when it bakes; brush dough lightly with water if it won't stick together. Even out tops and trim any excess dough; shape into decorative leaves if desired.
7
Place wrapped apples seam-sides up into the prepared baking dish. Spoon sauce to completely cover surface of each wrapped apple.
8
Bake in the preheated oven, basting with sauce occasionally, until pastry is browned and cooked through and apples are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven; baste with more sauce. Serve warm.