This weekend, Americans are celebrating their mothers, mothers-in-law, stepmothers (not the evil kind), grandmothers, and mothers-of-choice with cards, flowers, gifts and visits.
I was lucky to have had a wonderful mom, but unlucky that she died very young - almost 26 years ago. Along the way I have had some great moms-of-choice (Hi Nan! Hi Bunny!), a terrific stepmother (Barbara), and a wonderful mother-in-law (Dorothy). It's always good to stockpile moms, because you never know when you’ll need one!
Today, to celebrate my mother I am making something she used to make when I was young.
Recently, my friend John, from He Needs Food in Sydney, visited Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and in his post mentioned Apple Dumplings. That brought back so many memories of my mom's dumplings that I just had to make them.
It is one recipe that didn't make the cookbook I created in my mother’s memory a couple years ago, because it was not in her recipe files when she died. She had given it to me when I was first out of college, and I recently found it in one of my old journals as I was getting ready to toss them out (who needs to read the sappy ramblings of a 20-something?). But I saved all the recipes I had collected!
One thing I didn't remember about the dumplings is that they are huge! Even when using small, organic apples, they are almost a full (and very sweet) meal. I wouldn't change the recipe, but I might try cutting one in two when serving. ... On second thought, I think I still want a whole one.
Mom also used to make an English custard to serve with them. I even remember her using the magnetic automatic stirring feature on the stove to keep the custard going while she multitasked. Does anybody else remember the auto stirrer?
I didn't make the custard but, instead, served them with high-quality vanilla ice cream.
This was the most pleasant trip down memory lane. I miss my mother every day. It saddens me that she isn't around to see her grandchildren, grown up with children of their own. And I wish she had gotten to meet Mark, and see the beautiful homes we have made for ourselves in Maine and Tucson.
But she is there with me in the kitchen. Always.
Happy Mother's Day, Mom! And to all my moms, and every mom worldwide!
~ David
Apple Dumplings
1 recipe single pie crust (see below)
4 small-to-medium apples
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons plus 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
pinch salt
Make the dough and divide dough into 4 equal portions; roll each out to an 8-inch square.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Peel and core the apples.
In a small bowl, stir together the 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Place one apple in the middle of each pastry square. Put 1 teaspoon butter into the cored center of each apple and top with 1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Lightly brush the edges of the pastry with water.
Bring the corners of the pastry together at the top of each apple; pinch the edges to seal. Place the dumplings in a buttered baking pan.
Combine the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, water, butter, and any remaining sugar- cinnamon mixture in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it just begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Pour the sauce evenly over the encrusted apples.
Bake for 50 minutes, basting occasionally, until the apples are tender and the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream or an English custard (crème anglaise).
Makes 4 servings.
- Note: I generally choose sweet apples over tart varieties so that I can use less processed sugar. These were made with organic Pink Lady apples. Macintosh work very well, too.
Food Processor Pie Crust
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
5 tablespoons ice water
Place flour in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add butter in 10 pieces, cover and pulse 10-12 times until butter pieces are mostly the size of peas.
Remove the cover and sprinkle flour and butter with the 5 tablespoons ice water. Process the mixture until it forms a ball. Proceed with the recipe. Labels: apple dumplings, apples, mother's day, pie crust
