APPLE DUMPLINGS

Now that we can get apples year round this is a year-round favorite!(Time was you could only get nice firm apples in the late summer-early fall) Covered with rich cream it is "Caloric Heaven"!

APPLE DUMPLINGS'You Need:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
heavy cream(optional)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup shortening
6 baking apples(I prefer MacIntosh or Granny smith)peeled and cored(keep 'em whole)
1 1/2 cups sugar
dash of cinnamon

preheat oven to 400 degrees
Sift together flour,baking powder and salt
Cut in shortening until mixture resembles meal,then stirin milk until you have a soft dough.
Roll out into a large rectangle on a floured board and cut into 6 inch squares.
Place an apple in each square,moisten the edges and fold to enclose the fruit,pinching seams securely.
Set dumplings in a shallow baking dish.
Slowly bring remaining ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan,stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Pour the hot sauce over the dumplings.place in pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower the heat (no peeking) to 300 degrees and baked for 45 minutes more.
Serve the dumplings with pan juices and pass the cream!!!!!