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Susan S. Yeske: Recipe of the Week

Now is the time for apple dumplings

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As the days get shorter and we mourn the passing of summer, we can find consolation in apple season, with its sweet, crisp fruit that is transformed into pies, cakes, crisps, muffins and sauces.
The orange may be the nation’s most consumed fruit, thanks to our love of its juice, but apples are a strong second. Americans each eat an estimated 44 pounds of apples each year, fresh or in a variety of products including pies, applesauce and juice.

There are more than 7,500 apple varieties in the world, and an estimated 2,500 varieties in the United States. About 100 of those are sold commercially. Many of those are grown here in Bucks County and in New Jersey. The top 10 varieties produced in the United States are Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, Rome, Cripps Pink, and Empire.

Some are best for eating while others are great for baking or applesauce. If you aren’t sure what to choose, ask the farmer at your local farm stand or market to make a suggestion. The best way, of course, is to taste them yourself. I like to use more than one type of apple in a pie or in applesauce, usually a mixture of tart and sweet varieties.

This year’s apple season is shaping up to be a great one. Local farms that grow apples include Penn Vermont and Bedminster Orchard in Bedminster, Wildemore Farm and Tabora Farm near Chalfont, Snipes Farm in Morrisville, Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, and Manoff Market Gardens and Solebury Orchards, both in Solebury. Near the county border, Bechdolts Orchard in Hellertown, Northampton County, is known for its apples. Outside Princeton, N.J., Terhune Orchards grows dozens of varieties.
Apples also are sold at local farmers’ markets.

If you are looking for something different to make with your apples, here is a recipe from tasteofhome.com. Make your own pie crust or pick up some at the supermarket. Both will taste good.

Easy Apple Dumplings

1½ cups sugar, divided

1 cup water
4 tablespoons butter, divided
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
Pastry for double-crust pie
6 small to medium apples, peeled and cored

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. For syrup, place 1 cup sugar, water, 3 tablespoons butter and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes; remove from heat.
2. Mix the remaining ½ cup sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 21x14-inch rectangle; cut into 6 squares. Place an apple on each square. Fill center of each with 4 teaspoons sugar mixture and ½ teaspoon butter. Moisten edges of crust with water; bring up corners over apples, pinching edges to seal. Place in an ungreased 13x9-inch baking dish.
3. Pour syrup around apples. Bake until golden brown and apples are tender, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.


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