Apple Dumplings #1 1 1/2 cups of flour 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening 4 1/2 tablespoons of water 6 tart apples, peeled and cored 6 tablespoons of sugar 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon of butter Preheat oven to 425ºF. Combine the flour, salt and shortening in bowl, mix with 2 forks until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Stir in water to form soft dough. Roll out dough on lightly floured board, cut into six 6 inch squares. Place an apple on each square. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of butter to each apple. Fold dough around apple. Prick dough with fork and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream. Serves 6 Apple Dumplings #2 Pastry for 1 pie crust 6 cooking apples, peeled & cored 1/3 cup of sugar 2 tablespoons of half & half cream 3/4 cup of maple syrup, warmed On a floured surface roll out pastry to an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. Cut into 6 inch squares. Place an apple on each square. Combine sugar and cream; spoon into apple center. Moisten edge of pastry. Fold up the corners to center and pinch and seal. Place on an ungreased baking dish. Bake at 450ºF. for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF. bake for about 30 minutes more. Baste apples with syrup twice during baking time. Apple Dumplings  #3 6 tart apples (pared and cored) 1 recipe pie pastry (see below) 1 cup of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt Dash of nutmeg 2 cups of boiling water 1/2 cup of butter or margarine (Raisins and chopped nuts optional for filling apple cores) Roll pastry thin and cut into 6 inch squares. Place apples in center of square and sprinkle with sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Dampen edges of dough and bring opposite corners together over apples. Make syrup by blending sugar, flour, salt and nutmeg and add boiling water and butter. Bring to a boil and pour over dumplings. Bake covered at 425ºF. for 1/2 hour. Uncover and bake until apples are tender and dumplings browned.  Pastry: 2 cups of flour 1 teaspoon of salt 2/3 cup of shortening 1/4 cup of water Mix flour and salt in mixing bowl, cut in shortening with pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add water tossing with fork to dampen even.  Apple Dumplings  #4 8 apples, cored 1 cup of flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder 1/3 cup of shortening 2/3 cup of milk Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Blend in shortening and milk. Roll out a little thicker than for pie crust. Cut in squares. Put cored apples on each square of dough. Put 1 teaspoon each butter, sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of each apple. Fold dough over apple and pinch together.   syrup: 2 cups of sugar 2 cups of water /2 cup of butter Boil and pour over dumplings and bake at 350ºF. for 1 hour.  Apple Dumplings #5 1 cup of sugar 1 cup of water 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg 2 drops of red food coloring 2 tablespoons of butter 2 cups of enriched flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 2/3 cup of shortening 1/2 cup of milk 6 whole apples, peeled and cored Combine sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and food coloring in saucepan; bring to boiling point, add butter to hot syrup. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; cut in shortening, add milk all at once; stir until flour is just moistened. Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut into 6 inch squares. Place 1 whole apple in center of each square. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; dot with butter. Fold corners of pastry to center and pinch edges together. Place dumplings 1 inch apart in greased baking dish. Pour syrup over dumplings. Bake in 375ºF. oven about 35 minutes.