*Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings*
Serves 6

I don't know anyone who doesn't love these.  They're fantastic, and they're not as difficult to make as one would suppose.

6 medium sized firm cooking apples (I used granny smiths)
2 TBS lemon juice
3.5 ounces granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
soft light brown sugar
2 TBS butter
enough pastry for 2 10-inch pie crusts

For the sauce:
500ml of water (2 cups)
5 ounces granulated sugar (about 3/4 cup)
2 TBS butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Have ready a 9 by 13 by 2 inch baking pan, which you have lightly buttered.

Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle measuring 14 by 21 inches.  Cut into six even squares.  Whisk together the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Peel and core the apples, leaving whole.  Put the lemon juice in a bowl and roll the apples in this, then roll them into the bowl of cinnamon sugar to coat.  Place each apple into the centre of one pastry square.  Fill the cavity of each apple with 2 TBS soft light brown sugar and 1 tsp of butter.  Pull up the sides of the pastry squares to cover each apple, crimping the edges tightly shut.  Place into the prepared pan.

Bake for 1/2 hour. 

In the meantime, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 1 minute.  After the dumplings have been cooking for 1/2 hour, pour the sauce over top and then return to the oven, continuing to bake for a further 1/2 hour, basting occasionally.

Serve warm with cream for pouring.  Delicious.