APPLE DUMPLINGS WITH VANILLA SAUCE

8 medium apples
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. salt
1 recipe plain pastry
Vanilla sauce (recipe follows)

Pare and core apples.

Combine next 5 ingredients and fill each apple cavity with some of the brown sugar mixture. Do not pack the mixture or it will become hard like a rock.

Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thick, cut into squares large enough to cover apple. Place apple in each square and put about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture around the base of the apple. Bring corners of the pastry square together at the top of the apple; moisten edges and pinch together to hold apple in place. Place on baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 min or until a light golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla sauce over it.

VANILLA SAUCE

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
few grains of salt

Mix sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan; add water gradually, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until butter is melted and serve hot. Makes about 1 cup.

Jean Tillinghast/rec.food.cooking/1990