DUMPLINGS
3 cups tart apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
¼ cup brown sugar
Juice and zest of 1lemon
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
¼ cup cold milk
1 cup toasted, sliced almonds
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine chopped apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Set aside. In food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse flour and baking powder. In a bowl, whisk milk and eggs and add to flour all at once. Pulse mixture until it clings to sides of bowl and forms a ball. Dough will be very stiff. Remove from bowl and roll out onto a floured board until very thin. Cut dough into 12 (4-inch) squares and place a tablespoon of apple mixture in middle of each. Bring corners of each square together, slightly twisting and squeezing to seal. Place dumplings in a deep 9 or 10-inch baking dish, squeezing together if necessary. Sprinkle any leftover chopped apple over all, and set aside. Sprinkle with toasted almonds; set aside and prepare Almond Sauce.
ALMOND SAUCE
4 cups water
2 sticks unsalted butter
¾ cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
For garnish: 1 cup sweetened whipped cream
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and add butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Cook until dissolved. Pour liquid over dumplings. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until dumplings are golden and sauce is reduced. Serve with remaining sauce spooned over each portion and top with sweetened whipped cream. Yield: 12 servings
