½cupapproximately ½ of an 8 ounce package cold cream cheese, cut into chunks
12tablespoons1 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
3tablespoonsice water,plus more if needed
½cupdark brown sugar,packed
1teaspoonapple pie spice
6tablespoonscoarsely chopped walnuts
4tablespoonsunsalted butter,softened
6medium firm apples,such as Gala or Granny Smith, peeled and cored from the bottom leaving the stem intact
2large egg whites to be used as an egg wash
Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
Pulse flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until well blended.
Add cream cheese and pulse about 5 or 6 times until mixture is in small clumps.
Add butter and pulse until butter pieces are the size of peas.
Add vinegar and 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse approximately 6 times until mixture comes together into a dough. If dough appears too dry, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time.
Pour mixture into a large bowl and gather together into a ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap and flatten the ball into a 1 inch thick disc. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to several days in the refrigerator.
While dough is chilling, prepare filling. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, apple pie spice, walnuts, and butter. Blend until a paste forms.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out cold pastry to a 21 by 16 inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, trim rectangle to measure 21 by 14 inches, saving the scraps to cut out leaves for garnish.
Using the pizza cutter, cut the rectangle in half lengthwise and into thirds crosswise, creating 6 rectangles.
Place some of the filling into each of the cored apples. There may be some leftover filling depending on the size of your apples.
Select one of the 6 rectangles and place a filled apple in the center. Gather each side of the pastry up and around the apple, leaving the stem exposed. Press the pastry onto the apple firmly.
Repeat wrapping each apple until all are covered with pastry. Roll out scrap of dough and cut out leaves to use as decoration for each dumpling.
Place dumplings onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
Using a pastry brush, coat each apple with the egg white wash. Place 1-3 pastry leaves near the stem of each apple, and coat the leaves with egg wash as well.
Generously sprinkle each apple with sugar.
Bake dumplings for 30-40 minutes, or until pastry is nice and brown and a small sharp knife easily pierces the apples.
Cool slightly and serve warm with caramel sauce and ice cream.