Jepsen Family: Bake 52: Apple Dumplings

This week was my turn to host. Since I knew everyone would be in the thick of Halloween, I went straight to the "Shortcut Baking" section of the recipe book. The apple dumplings sounded appropriate for Fall, and looked quick to make. Plus, with all the candy to be consumed, eating a dessert made with half an apple seemed at least partly healthy ; )

I felt the dumplings were simple to make and had a fancy presentation. It may become a go-to dessert when we have company over. Hope you like it!

Apple Dumplings

Serves 4

This recipe uses refrigerated crescent dinner rolls as the pastry that wraps around the apples. We prefer Pillsbury’s Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls, but any 8-ounce can of crescent dinner roll dough will work. Folding and rolling the dough ensures that the seams will not break open during baking. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.

1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
2 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and halved crosswise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
½ cup packed plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup apple cider

Everything you need for the recipe!

Nick used a spiral apple cutter to make the peeling and coring quick and painless.

I think having the apple sliced made it easier to eat than it might have been unsliced.

The spiral-cut peel was also the perfect treat for the other member of our family : )

Cinnamon & brown sugar ready to go.

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. On a lightly floured counter, carefully unroll the entire can of dough, keeping the perforations intact. Cut the dough into four 6 by 3 ½-inch rectangles (do not tear the diagonal perforations). Fold each rectangle in half and roll out to a 6-inch square.

I used large apples because I couldn't find small, so I bought the "big" crescent rolls to compensate.

Fold.

Rolled 6-inch squares.

3. Place an apple half, cut side down, in the center of each dough square and place a piece of butter in the center of each apple. Toss 2 teaspoons of the brown sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples. Pull the edges of the dough up over the apple, twisting the dough ends to form a knot at the top.

I thought this would be harder to do than it was.

4. Transfer the dumplings to the prepared baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

These were so incredibly pretty! I wish I'd poked the apples, though, because they could have used another minute or two to soften up.

5. While the dumplings bake, simmer the apple cider and remaining ½ cup brown sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the sauce is slightly thickened and measures ½ cup, about 15 minutes.

6. Immediately transfer the baked dumpling to individual serving plates or shallow bowls. Pour 2 tablespoons of the cider sauce over each dumpling and serve.