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Perfect Baked Apple Dumplings with Easy Caramel Sauce

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Tender spiced apples wrapped in flaky pastry, baked in a rich homemade caramel sauce. This show-stopping dessert comes together in about an hour with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium-sized apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and cored
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup ice water
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Turbinado or coarse sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the pastry: In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Add cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces. Drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until dough just holds together. Divide into 4 equal pieces, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Prep the apples: In a small bowl, mash together softened butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until it forms a paste. Stuff this mixture into the cavity of each apple.
  3. Roll and wrap: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into a 7 to 8-inch square. Place a stuffed apple in the center. Bring the four corners up to meet at the top, pinching seams to seal. Place seam-side down in a parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking dish. Repeat with remaining apples and dough.
  4. Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Stir constantly until melted and sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk in heavy cream. Cook for another minute until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Pour sauce over and around dumplings.
  5. Bake: In a small bowl, whisk together egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush over exposed pastry on each dumpling. Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until pastry is deep golden brown and apples are tender. Halfway through, spoon some caramel from the bottom over the tops.
  6. Rest and serve: Let dumplings cool in the dish for 10-15 minutes. Spoon warm caramel sauce over each dumpling before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Notes

Keep pastry ingredients cold for flaky results. Don’t overfill apples with butter mixture. Watch caramel closely to avoid burning. Test apple doneness with a sharp knife. Can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated before baking.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple dumplings, baked apple dumplings, caramel sauce, apple dessert, fall dessert, easy apple recipe, homemade pastry

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/perfect-baked-apple-dumplings-with-easy-caramel-sauce/