Apple Pecan "Mummy" Dumplings

Happy National Apple Day!! For today's recipe, we have a brilliant spooky treat for you!

INGREDIENTS:

For the pastry "bandages":

2 cups all-purpose flour unbleached, un-enriched

1/2 cup finely ground Dickey Farms pecans

2 tbsp evaporated cane sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

6-8 tbsp ice water

For the apple "bodies":

3 organic Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 8 wedges

1/4 cup evaporated cane sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

8 dry cranberries, organic

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, ground pecans, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the cubed butter and, with your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse sand studded with pea sized pieces of butter.

Add the water, starting with 5 tbsp and adding additional water a tbsp at a time. Mix with your fingers until the dough is shaggy, but forms a moist clump when pressed together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press into a rough rectangle. Fold the dough in half and press it out with your palm to form a 1/2 inch thick rectangle.  Repeat this 4 more times, then wrap dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Once chilled roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick.

Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into long strips. Thinner is better, but they should not all be the same size. The more rustic the better, just make sure they are no thicker than 1/4 inch thick. Place the strips on a baking sheet, cover with plastic and chill for 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

With a clean towel, pat the apple slices dry. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and mix until thoroughly combined. Toss the apple slices in the cinnamon sugar mixture then wrap the apple slices in 2-3 strips of the dough each to give them a mummy look.

Place the wrapped mummies skin side down on the parchment lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle tops with additional cinnamon sugar. Cut each cranberry into 4 pieces. Place 2 bits of cranberry between the strips of dough at the top of the apple to make eyes.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the dough is lightly golden brown and apple is tender. You can test for tenderness by piercing the apple, where it is exposed from the wrappings, with a paring knife. When the knife slides in and out with ease, they are done. 

Cool for 3 minutes on the pan before transferring to a serving dish.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Recipe from Eating Rules