Apple Dumplings

• 3 Cups flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 Cup shortening
  
• 3/4 Cup milk
  
• 8 med Jonathan apples
  
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 & 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 & 1/2 cups water
• 1 TBlsp Butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add milk, stirring to make a soft dough. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface, shaping into a 21 x 14 -inch rectangle. Cut dough into 8 equal pieces. Peel and core apples. Place one apple on each pastry square. Fill core of each apple with 2 teaspoons brown sugar and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Dot each with 2 teaspoons of butter. Moisten edges of each dumpling with water; bring corners to center, pinching edges to seal. Place dumplings in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake a 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Combine sugar, water, butter and cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Pour syrup over hot dumplings. Serve immediately with ice cream. Yield: 8 servings. You can use scraps of dough to fashion decorative apple leaves and stem, if desired. Cinnamon stick can also be used as a stem.