The
ABC's
of Cooking with
Lynn Fredericks
author of Cooking
Time Is Family Time
A
is
for Apple
Fuji Apple Dumplings with Spicy Cider Sauce
Adapted from Lynne Fredericks' Cooking
Time Is Family Time
Parents
and kids flip over this dessert of flaky pastry revealing warm tangy
apples cooked to an equally delicate texture. The real flavor wallop
comes from the sauce which has a very spicy edge from the ginger. The
dessert is so easy to prepare your kids will want to make it again and
again during apple season. For busy weekdays, have the kids prepare
apples in the dough with you or a care-giver after school and keep them
covered until dinner time. Then, when it's dinner time, just pop them
in the oven and make the sauce, letting it reduce while you all engage
in preparing the evening's meal. When dinner is ready, so are the dumplings.
makes 6 servings
For
the dumplings:
- 6 Fuji
or other firm, tart apples
- 3 3/4
cups flour
- 2 Tablespoons
sugar
- 3 sticks
unsalted butter
- 1/4
cup ice water
For the
sauce:
- 3 cups
apple cider
- 1 cup
sugar
- 1/2
cup apple or other brandy
- 2" piece
of ginger, grated
To
prepare the dumplings:
1. Preheat
oven to 375°F.
2. Have
the children peel the apple with a 'sure-grip' type vegetable peeler.
Once peeled, let the kdis help core them with an apple corer, leaving
the apple otherwise intact.
3. In
a large bowl, have kids measure the dry ingredients. Then let them help
cut up the cold butter with a butter knife and place it over the dry
ingredients. With clean hands, have them start working the butter into
the flour. Parents should plunge their hands in and help, it is really
fun and since there's a lot of butter, the kids will need some help!
4. When
the butter is incorporated, add ice water drop by drop. Only add just
enough to bring the dough together. Cover the diough with plastic and
let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Divide
the dough into six equal parts. Let each child roll their dough into
a ball and then roll it out with a rolling pin. Have them try to roll
the dough into squares, although rectangles are fine. Cut and patch
the dough with a table knife so that it is big enough to wrap around
one apple. Help the children wrap each apple completely in dough, taking
care to pinch the seams.
6. Transfer
the apple dumplings to an ungreased baking sheet and bake for approximately
30 minutes, or until light brown. Serve warm in a bowl with the warm
sauce spooned over.
To
make the sauce:
1. Prepare the sauce while the dough is resting or when the dumplings
are in the oven. Let kids help you measure cider, sugar and brandy and
place them in a small saucepan. Then have the children grate the ginger
and add it to the same pan. Heat the saucepan and boil down the mixture
until it reaches a syrupy consistency — approximately 20 minutes
Cooking
with Kids Home
The ABC's of Cooking ::: Aa
|Bb
|Cc
|Dd
|Ee
|Ff
|Gg
|Hh
|Ii
|Jj
|Kk
|Ll
Kid's Meals |
Lynn's Thoughts on
Feeding Her Children | Recipes
| Book
