Fresh Peach Dumplings For The Apple Dumpling Gang By Freda Recipes

Steps:

• Roll out the dough into a rectangle so it is about an 1/8 of an inch thick (no more than a 1/4 inch). Cut the dough into 6 squares. On sheet pan lay out your peach halves. If you'd like, you can peel the peaches, but it is not necessary. Sprinkle the sugar and spices evenly over the peaches. Drizzle a few drops of vanilla onto the peaches then add a bit of the butter to the center of each peach half. Now take 2 halves of the peach and close them with the butter, sugar and spices inside. Hold them closed. Place the held closed peach into the center of a dough square. Pull the sides of the dough up around the peach. pinch the dough closed to seal the peach inside. Once the dough is closed, with your hand gently mold the dough so it hugs the peach and stays in shape. If you have extra dough hanging cut it off (you will gather the extra dough scraps and make leaves later). Repeat this with all of the peaches. Heat your oven to 450 degrees. In a baking dish that will fit comfortably all of your peaches gently place your dough covered peaches. Set the baking dish in the fridge while you make the sauce and leaves. The leaves are just cute, leave them off if you are not in the mood for the fuss. In a small saucepan heat the sugar and the butter. When the sugar begins to color swirl the pan to make the sugar color evenly. Be very careful...the sugar is EXTREMELY HOT. This should not be done by, or with, children!!!! When the sugar has taken on a nice amber color add the heavy cream. With a whisk make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Add the brandy, continue to stir. Once you no longer smell alcohol turn the heat down and reduce the sauce (at a simmer) for a couple of minutes. Take the sauce off the heat once its a slightly thickened and add the vanilla, salt and the final tablespoon of butter . Combine with the whisk. You should have a smooth velvety wonderful flavored caramel sauce. This stuff is delicious even without the dumplings!!!!! Now gather your dough scraps and re-roll them so you can cut out leaf shapes to garnish your dumplings. You can make the leaf veins using the back of your knife. Egg wash the dumplings and attach the leaves (I made two leaves per dumpling). Next, sprinkle sanding sugar over the dumplings.Now you will pour the caramel sauce into the pan with the dumplings without pouring the sauce onto the dumplings themselves. This is very important!!! The sauce should go between and around but NOT over or on the dumplings. Bake the dumplings at 450 degrees for about 45 minutes. If they seem to be getting too dark turn the temperature down to 400 for the last 10 minutes or so. Use your judgement on that. Have a platter ready to move the dumplings to when you take the pan out of the oven. The dumplings will need to be moved after they rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to move them. They will be fragile on the bottom. The sauce will be caramelized and thick. Drizzle a little of it over the dumplings or around the sides. Serve while warm, with ice cream if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the cinnamon, 1/3 cup of sugar, brown sugar and flour. With a pastry blender mix in the butter until it resembles coarse meal.
• Roll out the chilled puff pastry dough on a lightly floured surface to a 1/8 inch thickness. Cut the dough into six 7 inch squares. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate.
• Blanch the peaches for 10 seconds in rapidly boiling water. Remove and drain. Peel the peaches, split in half, and remove the pits. Toss the halves in lemon juice and then in the cinnamon mixture. Reassemble the peach halves with the remaining cinnamon mixture in the cavity.
• Remove baking sheet from refrigerator. Place a peach in the center of each square of dough. Paint the edges of the dough with cold water. Bring the points of the square together at the top and pinch the seams together to seal.
• Paint the dumplings with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar (use crystal sugar for these two tablespoons if you have it available). Prick a few holes around the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the peaches are tender and the pastry has browned. When dumplings are done, remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
• To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto each serving plate, place dumpling in the center and drizzle some additional sauce over the top. You may serve with vanilla or peach ice cream or peach sorbet (recipe follows).

Steps:

• Stir water, sugar, and butter together in a pot over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture has a syrupy texture, 5 to 10 minutes. Add peaches to syrup; bring to a boil.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Stir milk into flour mixture until a stiff batter forms.
• Drop batter by large spoonfuls into boiling peach syrup; cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat to medium, and cook until dumplings are set, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until tender. Remove from heat, drain, and put through a ricer or mash.
• Place the riced potatoes onto a large clean work surface. Crack the egg over the top, then gradually work in the flour with your hands until you get a nice stiff dough. You may not need to use all of the flour, or you may need to use more. This could take as long as 30 minutes, or just seem like it. Let the dough rest for a minute before rolling.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. You may need to roll out 1/2 at a time. cut the dough into 8x8 inch squares - larger or smaller depending on the size of your peaches. Wrap each peach in a square of dough, and pinch all of the seams to seal it in.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the peach dumplings into the water. The peach should be as close to covered with the water as it can get. We usually had 2 or 3 pots with boiling water because you can only fit about 3 to 4 peaches per pot. Boil for 20 minutes, rotating after 10 for even cooking. Remove from water using tongs or a large slotted spoon.
• To serve, place a peach dumpling onto a plate, and cut it up. Remove the pit, and sprinkle with melted butter, sugar and vanilla wafer crumbs.