Apples Again!

Last year, I was in Russia during Apple Month - the month of October in my family. We get about 1600 lbs of apples and make apple sauce, cider, apple pie filling, Apple Yum-Yums and anything else we can think of. :)

It is also tradition to watch The Apple Dumpling Gang the day we get apples and to make Apple Dumplings (aka, Apple Yum-Yums). Sarah is now back from visiting Kaytch, so we will try to make some cider soon. Fall is rather official now in our house. Rain, wind, leaves, waking up and it still being dark (sometimes I appreciate this, sometimes I DO NOT, but it hasn't happened very often so far this year:) - yes, it has to be my favorite!

Here is what we do for Apple Yum-Yums:

Standard 10-inch pie crust: (Next time, I want to use the King Arthur's Flour pie-crust)
1/2 cup coconut oil
11/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs cold water
Cut in the coconut oil, flour, and salt with pastry blender. Add water and cut again until pie crust texture.

8 apples
1 1/2 cup brown sugar (plus extra for stuffing)
1/2 water
1/4 cup butter
Fall spices - whatever you'd like. (In other words, make a syrup with Fall spices in it.)

Peel and core the apples. Wrap each with a thin layer of pie-dough.
Drizzle the syrup on and around the apples and then "stuff" brown sugar down the center of them.
Place in the oven at 300 for 30-45 min (pie crust shouldn't be colored) and then bump up the heat to 475 and let bake till golden brown (about 15min).

Those are rough directions - but the general idea. :)