Apple Dumpling Recipe

Prepare apples

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and core 4 large apples. Immediately toss the apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning and set aside.

Make cinnamon butter filling

In a small bowl, combine 4 tbs softened unsalted butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix until a spreadable paste forms.

Prepare puff pastry

On a lightly floured surface, unroll or unfold 2 puff pastry sheets and, if needed, roll each gently to smooth seams. Cut each sheet into 2 equal squares (you’ll have 4 squares total). Keep pastry chilled until ready to wrap.

Fill and wrap apples

Pat apples dry. Spoon about 1.5 tbs of the cinnamon-butter mixture into the cavity of each apple (press lightly so it stays). Place one apple in the center of each pastry square. Pull the pastry corners up and around the apple, pinching seams together at the top to seal. Trim any excess dough and tuck under so dumplings sit flat. Place dumplings seam-side down on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

Egg wash and bake

Whisk 1 egg with 1 tsp milk to make an egg wash. Brush each pastry-wrapped apple with the egg wash and sprinkle 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over the 4 dumplings. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25–30 minutes, rotating the sheet once halfway, until pastry is golden and apples are tender when pierced with a skewer. If pastry browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.

Rest

Remove dumplings from oven and let rest 10 minutes on the baking sheet; juices will be hot. Transfer gently to a serving platter.

While dumplings bake, make the caramel. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add 1/2 cup granulated sugar in an even layer. Allow sugar to melt undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, then gently swirl the pan (do not stir vigorously) until sugar fully melts and reaches a deep amber color, about 5–8 minutes total.

Once sugar is amber, remove pan from heat and carefully add 3 tbs cubed butter; it will bubble vigorously—stir until butter is melted and combined. Slowly pour in 1/4 cup warm heavy cream while stirring; return briefly to low heat if needed to combine. Stir in 2 tsp bourbon and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt. If caramel is too thick, add up to 1–2 tsp additional cream to reach drizzle consistency. Allow caramel to cool slightly; it will thicken as it cools.

Taste and adjust: add a pinch more salt or a drop more bourbon if desired. Keep warm until ready to drizzle over dumplings (reheat gently if it sets).

In a medium bowl, whisk 3 egg yolks with 1/3 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup heavy cream. Heat over medium until just steaming and around simmer temperature (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Temper the yolks by slowly pouring about one-third of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to raise their temperature. Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, returning the pan to low heat.

Cook gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and registers about 170–175°F (77–80°C), about 3–5 minutes. Do not let it boil or the yolks will curdle.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any bits; cool slightly. For best texture chill briefly, or serve warm. Keep refrigerated up to 2 days.