Apple Dumplings

I keep working on this recipe to improve it.  I have wanted to make a sauce for the dumplings to cook in that thickens that can be spooned out with the dumpling and I finally came up with something that works great and taste wonderful.  In a couple of posts back, I mentioned that we celebrated our son's birthday.  Apple dumplings is what I made for dessert.  He is not a dessert person so he didn't care what we had.  The dumplings were a big hit.  Our youngest son said, "it was the best dessert I've ever made and he wanted me to make these for Thanksgiving."  It was also the consensus of the rest of the family that I finally came up with a winner.  And, I didn't make these for Thanksgiving.....too much work for that day!   :)

I've posted apple dumplings before so consider this as a revision.  Have your pie crust ready.  I peeled and cut up five apples in cubes and put the juice from half a lemon over the apples, about 1/2 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  I tossed the apples until they were covered in this mixture. Roll out your pie crust and cut squares that are about 7 inches by 7 inches.  I would rather have the square too big than not big enough. I just spoon the apples onto the square.  I brush a little water around the edges of the pie crust to hold it together.  I bring up the sides of the pie crust and pinch them together.  I then put the dumplings in a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.  In a small pan over medium heat I melt 1/2 stick of butter, 1 cup sugar, one 12 ounce bottle of apple juice, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I stir this until the sugar has melted and then I ladle this over the apple dumplings.  I bake the dumplings at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Watch the dumplings, if they start to get too golden brown, cover the pan with foil to finish the cooking time.

When the dumplings are done, remove them from the oven and put one in a bowl and drizzle this caramel sauce over the top.
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of white Karo syrup
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 can Milnot
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Mix sugar, syrup, flour and Milnot .  Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla and stir until butter is melted.  Then let cool.  When it is cooled beat until it is thick and creamy.
Now, to this you can add vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. 
This is so rich and so good.  It will become your favorite dessert for a while!

You could also substitute the caramel sauce for a rum sauce.  I also wanted to mention that you can peel and core the apple leaving it whole.  Set the apple in the middle of your pie crust square stuff  a little butter down the core opening and also put the sugar and cinnamon mixture down the opening.  Bring your pie crust up over the apple and seal the edges.  Some people like this better than the cubed apples.  I have tried both and I prefer the cubed apples.