Country Chef Reader

Do you remember the old Disney movie, The Apple Dumpling Gang? I took my 2 lively youngsters to see the comical western, with Don Knotts and Tim Conway, and I believe the movie inspired the kids to pull an apple dumpling caper of their own.

It was 1977 and I was giving a baby shower for a long time friend, April. We invited 40 women for a buffet luncheon, and because April enjoyed my “best apple pie west of the Cascade Mountains,” we decided to serve individual apple pies for dessert.

A few days before the shower my motherly instincts were aroused when my kids started making unsolicited dessert suggestions.

“Mom, I think you should make raspberry squares for April’s baby shower.” My son, Brian said as he peered at me from across the table, slurping his way through a bowl of Cheerios. Typically he was a rough and tumble 10-year-old who expressed no interest in social events.

“Remember the mini-apple pies that we wrapped in foil? The ones your sister and you carried out to the big freezer for me last fall? That’s what I’m serving at the shower.” I reminded him.

“The little apple pies that we put out in the barn freezer?” It was odd that he needed clarification on which freezer.

“That’s right.” I replied.

“Oh, now I remember.” He looked thoughtful. “I think April would like raspberry squares better than apple pie, we use apples in everything!” Brian screwed his face up like he’d had one too many green apples. “Besides, Mom, raspberry bars have that sweet red stuff oozing out the sides. Mm.” He smacked his lips convincingly.

“What’s going on? Yesterday your sister said I should make lemon bars for April’s shower.” I asked trying to be casual.

“Are you thinking of becoming a pastry chef?” I laughed and ran my fingers across the top of his sandy colored crew cut. “Get moving! I don’t want you to miss your bus. And don’t forget to get your frozen apple juice, out of the barn freezer, for your lunch box!”

“Catch your bus and pick up your apple juice,” I said to the kids every morning as part of the school day routine. That morning my intuition told me something was brewing and it wasn’t apple cider! As soon as Brian’s bus dropped over the hill, I went to take a peek into the barn freezer.

When I opened the freezer I was flabbergasted to find that all the mini-apple pies were gone. In disbelief, I rummaged frantically through the frozen packages.

My mind flashed back to the hours I spent in the kitchen every year during apple harvest. With 9 apple trees the entire house would fill with the fragrance of apple strudel, crisp and cobbler. I canned apple pie filling and preserved spiced apples. My golden, apple wine was an unusual wintertime treat. We pressed gallons of apple cider and I dried apples for snack packs. We made our own apple sausage. In fact, we harvested so many apples that the pigs would merely sniff them and walk away – they’d had their fill.

It was apparent that my children were full of apples too! Because the individual apple pies I lovingly baked, gaily decorated and put into the barn freezer for safe keeping had been surreptitiously tucked into their lunch boxes for school desserts.

My panic started subsiding when I found a nearly forgotten recipe of my grandmother’s for Autumn Apple Dumplings. The dumplings worked as an ideal replacement for the 40 miniature apple pies and thankfully, as time was of the essence, I discovered they were fairly easy to make. My guests were delighted with the old-fashioned favorite, and as far as I know, my “Apple Dumpling Gang” retired after their infamous “Freezer Caper!”

Autumn Apple Dumplings
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 drops red food coloring
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup margarine, softened
½ cup milk
*6 medium apples, whole, pared and cored

Combine sugar, water, and spices; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add food coloring and butter.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add margarine and cut into flour until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add milk all at once and stir until flour is moistened.
Divide dough into 6 balls and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough into a 6-8” square and about the thickness of piecrust; place an apple in the center, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and dot with 1-teaspoon margarine. Fold crust around apple; pinch edges together. Place in a greased 11” x 13” x 1-1/2” glass baking dish, pinched edges down, about 1’ apart. Repeat process until all apples are wrapped in dough. Sprinkle dumplings with granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes, or until apples are tender. Remove from the oven and pour syrup over apples. Cool slightly; serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream. Yield: 6 generous servings

* Firm apples such as Macintosh, Granny Smith, Braeburn or Gala are recommended.