Apple Dumplings

From: The Joy of Cooking

1 round chilled pie crust dough
4 medium-sized apples
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup soft butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450°

Pare and core the apples. Mix sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

Roll out the dough in a thin sheet, 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into 4 squares, large enough to enclose the apple entirely. Brush squares with the white of an egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy. Place an apple on each square. Fill the cores of the apples with butter-sugar mixture. Bring up the four corners of the dough to cover the apple and press the edges together, using a little water, if necessary, to make them stick. Prick the tops of the dumplings in several places.

They may be chilled for several hours or baked at once. Brush the tops with milk. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake about 45 minutes longer, until apples are tender (test with a toothpick).

Serve with vanilla ice cream.