INGREDIENTS:

For Crust:
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups chilled shortening or butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon ice water
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar

For Sauce:
2/3 cup sugar
1 ½ cups water
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

For Baked Apples:
4 fresh ENZA Jazz™ apples
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter

METHOD:

For crust, sift flour, sugar and salt together. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture until texture resembles course corn meal. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the water and vinegar. Make a well in the center of the flower mixture, and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine to make a crumbly dough. Divide into 4 parts, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.

For sauce, combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside.

To assemble dumplings, slice about ¼ inch off both ends of each apple, and remove the cores. Roll dough to form squares, about seven inches across and 1/8 inch thick. Place an apple in the center of the square, and fill the core cavity with the cinnamon sugar mixture, and dot with one teaspoon butter. Fold the pie crust up over each apple, and press to seal the edges together at the top. Place the dumplings in a baking dish with a little space between each. Pour the hot syrup into the pan around the dumplings.

Bake dumplings at 425 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the apples reach desired tenderness. Test using a bamboo skewer.

Serve with sauce, and iced cream or whipped cream.