APPLE DUMPLINGS

Ingredients:
1 large apple {I used a Fuji- any apple will do, tart is better}
1 can Pillsbury Crescent dough
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup or 6 oz. 7-Up or equivalent {half the can}
How To Make Pioneer Woman’s Apple Dumplings:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 baking dish.
Cut each apple into 8-10 wedges.
Slice the apple skin off as well and set aside.
Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles.
Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the wide end.

Pinch to seal and cover apple and place in the baking dish. {This is easier if you first pat the apple wedge dry, then wrap dough around it.}
Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Heat, whisking to combine.

The mixture will slowly combine and thicken. When it’s thickened, remove from heat and add vanilla.
Pour cinnamon mixture over the apple dumplings. Pour soda over the dumplings. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown!

Rum Balls                                                 

Ingredients (makes 36)

1 cup (170g or 6 ounces) dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup (57g) plus 1/3 cup (40g) powdered sugar, divided

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup dark rum

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups (310g or 11 ounces) crushed Nilla wafers

1 cup (110g) crushed walnuts

1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder

Melt the chocolate:

Place the chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals at full power, stirring between each cook time until all the chips have melted.

Make the rum ball dough:

Sift 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar over the melted chocolate (sifting helps prevent clumps). Add the corn syrup, rum and salt. Stir with a whisk until the sugar dissolves and the rum is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Add the crushed wafers and the walnuts. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until incorporated. The mixture will look crumbly.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Shape the rum balls:

Place the cocoa powder and remaining 1/3 cup of powdered sugar in separate bowls and keep them nearby. Use a spoon or small ice cream server to scoop out enough chilled mixture to roll a 1-inch ball. The mixture will be crumbly and hard but once you roll and squeeze it in your hands, it will come together.

Coat the rum ball with powdered sugar or cocoa powder and repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Store rum balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days:

The rum balls improve in flavor over the next few days.

EASY APPLE CINNAMON ROLLS

Makes 9 rolls

For the Apple Cinnamon Rolls:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of kosher salt

1 tube (8 ounces) crescent dinner rolls...or use the new Dough Sheets!

1 Michigan Braeburn apple, finely chopped

For the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze:

1/4 cup cream cheese

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon butter. In small bowl, stir together brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Unroll crescent roll dough on work surface. Press and pinch all perforations to seal.

Evenly brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture over butter. Evenly spread chopped apple over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border at long edges of dough.

Starting from one long edge of dough, roll dough up into long tube; pinching edges to seal. If any perforations in dough have opened, pinch to seal before cutting rolls. Using sharp knife, cut dough into 9 pieces. Arrange pieces, cut side up, in prepared pan. Flatten each roll slightly.

Transfer to oven and bake 20 to 22 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and dough is cooked through. Transfer to wire rack to cool 5 minutes before transferring rolls to serving platter.

Meanwhile, make the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze: In microwave safe bowl, heat cream cheese on high 20 seconds. Add maple syrup and powdered sugar; whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and serve immediately.

RHUBARB SWEET ROLLS

Ingredients:

Dough:

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 T sugar

1 large egg

3 1/2 cups flour

2 packages instant yeast

1 tsp salt

Filling:

1 lb rhubarb

3/4 cup sugar, plus extra to taste

Red food coloring

Salt

Lemon juice

Glaze:

1/2 tsp corn syrup

1/8 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 T half and half (or milk)

1. In a small bowl, combine water, condensed milk, oil, sugar and egg. Mix well. In the bowl of a standing mixer, add yeast, flour and salt. Combine, and with mixer on low slowly add the water/milk mixture. Mix until dough is smooth, about 4-5 minutes. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, make the filling by chopping rhubarb into 1/4 inch slices and add to a medium sauce pan with 1 cup of water and 3/4 cup sugar. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until rhubarb is tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, add drained rhubarb to a food processor with a pinch of salt (and food coloring if using) and pulse 3-4 times. Taste the rhubarb and add additional sugar and/or lemon juice to taste.

3. Punch down risen dough and roll to a rectangle 16×12 inches. Spread cooled rhubarb mixture over the dough, and carefully roll to make a 16 inch long roll. Pinch the end to seal it.

4. With a serrated knife, slice roll into 12 even pieces and place in 9×13 baking pan. Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Bake rolls 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack and cool five more minutes. Turn right side up onto a baking sheet. Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl, adding more powdered sugar or half and half to achieve a consistency you like. Spread over warm rolls and serve warm or at room temperature.