Step 1
Make 1 recipe for “Galette Dough” or “Pie Crust” as outlined in the recipe up to the steps where the dough is chilled.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly grease or butter a 9” x 13” baking dish.
Step 3
In a large bowl, stir together the water and lemon juice.
Step 4
Core and peel apples. Reserve peelings. If using large apples, cut the cored and peeled apples in half around the equator of the apple. If using medium apples, use a paring knife or chef’s knife to carefully slice a small sliver off the bottom of each apple to stabilize them if necessary.
Step 5
Place apples and peels into the bowl of lemon water to ensure apples do not brown. Place into fridge until needed.
Step 6
Place apples and peels into the bowl of lemon water to ensure apples do not brown. Place into fridge until needed.
Step 7
In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, cream together butter, 2 tablespoons (27 grams) of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, and salt until mixture is homogeneous. Set aside.
Step 8
In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup (54 grams) of the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Step 9
Cut off a small piece of dough (around 100 g). Divide the remaining dough into 6 equal pieces (approximately 125 grams). Roll the 6 portions into a 7-inch square. Roll the smaller piece out to ⅛-inch thickness. Cover rolled-out dough with plastic wrap or a piece of parchment paper to prevent the dough from drying out.
Step 10
Remove apples from the fridge. With a lint-free kitchen towel or paper towels, blot the apples dry. Place each apple into the centre of a pastry square. If using halved apples, place the cut side down. Add a tablespoon of the brown sugar-butter mixture into the core of each apple, using a small spoon to help push the butter mixture into the cores. Divide and sprinkle the entire apple (top and sides) with the spiced-sugar mixture, patting to adhere sugar mixture to the sides of each apple.
Step 11
With a small pastry brush, lightly dampen the edges of the pastry square with water. Bring a corner up to the top of the apple and do the same with the opposite corner. Pinch the corners together. Repeat process with the other corners until all corners meet in the middle. Gently pinch the seams together, sealing the apples within the pastry dough and molding the dough to the apples. The pinched corners at the top can be shaped to look like an apple stem if desired.
Step 12
With a sharp paring knife or a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 6 to 12 leaves from the remaining piece of dough. If desired, use the tip of the paring knife to score the leaves with veins to mimic real leaves. Carefully adhere the leaves, using a small amount of water, to the top of each apple. Place apples into the prepared baking dish.
Step 13
Place into the fridge to chill; at least 15 minutes (see Chef’s Tips).
Step 1
In a medium-heavy saucepan, combine apple cider, the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, apple peels, butter, and cinnamon. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and butter; boil 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 2
Turn off heat and stir in the dark rum and salt. Cover to keep warm.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg with the water.
Remove chilled dumplings from the fridge. Brush the entire surface of each apple, including the leaves, with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle tops with the Redpath Simply Raw™ Turbinado Sugar.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the heat under the brown sugar apple cider syrup and bring to a simmer.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Using a ladle, carefully pour the hot sauce into the baking dish through a metal sieve to remove the peels. Ladle some of the syrup over the dumplings. Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the sauce.
Place back into the oven; 30 to 40 minutes.
Check for doneness by inserting a metal skewer or paring knife into the side of one of the apples. If it slides out easily, remove the baking dish from the oven. If not, add 2 minutes to the baking time and check again.
Drizzle some of the extra apple-brown sugar syrup over the dumplings. Best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
*If planning to decorate dumplings with leaves, substitute half of the butter in the “Galette Dough” or “Pie Crust'' recipe with lard or vegetable shortening to ensure decorations hold up when baked.
*Any firm baking apple can be used in this recipe besides those in the ingredients list.
*Use apples of the same size and/or variety to ensure even baking.
*A medium-sized apple is approximately 2¾ to 3 inches in diameter (usually weighing about 200 grams each).
*If an apple corer is unavailable, carefully use a sharp paring knife to make a square incision around the stem and bottom of the apple, trying to match the cuts so that the core comes out in one solid piece.
*Ensure ingredients are at room temperature unless otherwise indicated in the directions before proceeding with the recipe.
*Apple dumplings can be made the day before baking. Make recipe up to the point where the apples are encased in the pastry dough. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place into the fridge until needed. To freeze: place apple dumplings onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and place into the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Once completely frozen, remove apples and place into an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Add about 15 minutes to the baking time when baking from frozen.
*Unsweetened apple juice (check label for 100% juice with no added sugars or syrups) or water will work in place of the unsweetened apple cider.
*Rum can be replaced with whisky, bourbon, or brandy. For an alcohol-free version, replace with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pure vanilla extract.
*For more intense caramel flavour and a darker sauce, Redpath® Dark Brown Sugar or Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar can be substituted for the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar.
