Apple puff dumplings in cinnamon syrup

Apple trees all over the country are bursting with fruit at the moment. As I type this, I can see the neighbour's tree across the road, it's limbs sagging under the weight of juicy ripe apples.

Monday while I was on a walk after dinner, I passed a tree next to the old tennis courts. There were apples hanging off it, and the smell was delicious. I was amazed I'd never noticed it before. The tree was growing right through the tennis court fence, where probably, a discarded core had been tossed.

Apple trees dot the sides of the road about the place. I can imagine these too have grown from an apple tossed out the window of passing cars. There are free apples to be picked everywhere if you keep your eyes open.

On they way to Mount Gambier, on the grounds where the old forestry headquarters used to be, the houses are long gone, but the fruit trees remain. Apples, peaches, walnut and lemon trees still bear fruit, and unless you knew they were there, driving past, you'd have no idea. Just a tip, if you're not sure whether an apple is ripe or not, cut it in half, the seeds should be dark.

An older couple from our cul-de-sac brought over a box of apples in the last week from their trees. It was so nice of them. We've lived here for over 10 years, and it's the first time we've really interacted besides a smile and the odd wave.


Morning tea a few days later were a couple of these apple dumplings. Crunchy on the top and soggy on the bottom. Perfect for the cooler weather we are having. The afternoons and mornings have been a bit nippy. I do hope there are a few more warmer days coming though. I was so not ready to say goodbye to Summer. Not yet.

Apple puff dumplings

Dough: 
1 cup self raising flour
10 grams butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk

3 apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1 tablespoon white sugar

Syrup:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup brown sugar
60 grams butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
White sugar

For the dough, rub butter into flour, until there are no more lumps of butter.
Mix egg and milk. Add to flour and combine to a soft dough.
Roll out into a rectangle on a floured surface, and cut into 12 long strips.

Wrap a strip of dough around each apple quarter and place in the fridge.

For the syrup, melt butter and cinnamon in a saucepan. Add sugar, vanilla essence and boiled water. Stir until sugar is melted. 

Pour the syrup in a casserole dish big enough to hold the 12 apple dumplings.

Drop the wrapped apple quarters into the syrup and sprinkle over with white sugar. Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve the dumplings with cream or icecream.

Monte Carlo biscuits are the bomb!

THESE biscuits are the BOMB! You have to make them.

If you don't your family and friends will never forgive you. As long as you don't show them this post, which I totally want you to do.

Monte Carlo biscuits

125 grams butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups SR Flour
1/4 cup custard powder
1/3 cup desiccated coconut

Jam and icing filling
75 grams butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/3 cup strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 180C.
Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Add the milk and beat to combine.
Sift the flour and custard powder, add with the coconut to the bowl and mix in to form a soft dough.

Roll about 2 teaspoons worth to make small balls.
Place on baking tray and press with a fork to flatten. Dip the fork in flour first, to stop it sticking to the dough.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Let the biscuits cool while you make the icing.

To make icing, beat the butter and icing sugar in a small bowl, Beat in the milk.

Spread one biscuit with half a teaspoon of jam, and half a teaspoon of icing on another, then join the two together.