American
Baked Apple Dumplings with Brown Sugar Syrup
Whole baking apples wrapped in flaky pastry become tender inside while a lightly spiced brown sugar syrup reduces around the bronzed parcels into a bright, spoonable sauce.
6 servings · 55 minutes prep · 55 minutes cook
Ingredients
Flaky Pastry
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water, as needed
Apples and Filling
- 6 small firm baking apples, about 5 ounces each; peeled and cored
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in 6 pieces
Brown Sugar Syrup and Finish
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg, beaten
Directions
Mix and Chill the Pastry
- Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter, and pulse 6 to 8 times, until flat pea-size pieces remain. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss in enough ice water for the dough to hold when squeezed.
- Form a rectangle, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.
Fill and Wrap the Apples
- Heat the oven to 375°F / 190°C. Mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Roll the dough to a 16-by-24-inch rectangle and cut six 8-inch squares. Set one apple on each, fill each core with one-sixth of the sugar mixture and one piece of butter, then brush the pastry edges with water. Bring opposite corners over the fruit, pinch the seams firmly, and cut a small top vent. Arrange in a 9-by-13-inch pan and chill 15 minutes.
Make the Brown Sugar Syrup
- Bring the brown sugar, water, and granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes, remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice.
- Brush the dumplings with the beaten egg. Pour the hot syrup around their bases, avoiding the tops.
Bake and Rest
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, rotating once, until the pastry is deeply golden and a thin knife through a vent enters the apple with little resistance. Shield browned tops with foil if the fruit needs more time.
- Rest in the pan 15 minutes. Serve warm with reduced syrup spooned around each dumpling. Cool leftovers promptly, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in their baking dish at 325°F (165°C) for 15 to 20 minutes, loosely shielding the tops with foil if they begin to darken.
