Michaelmas Dumplings

Serves	4
Prep time	20 minutes
Cook time	35 minutes
Total time	55 minutes
Allergy	Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Dessert
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween
Region	British
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

A comforting recipe from my childhood, my mum would make these fluffy little dumplings every Michaelmas, or when the blackberries were in season, but before Devil Spits Day of course. This is a wonderful way to end an autumn meal, whether it be for the family during the week or a celebratory dinner party. Serve these dumplings with fresh pouring cream or home-made custard. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

8 ozs (225g) freshly picked blackberries
1 medium sized cooking apple, Bramley apples are best
4 ozs (115g) Self Raising flour
Pinch salt
1 oz (25g) butter or margarine
White granulated sugar
Cold milk
½-pint (300ml) water

Note

Directions

Step 1	Wash the blackberries and then peel, core and quarter the cooking apple. Place the flour and the salt in a mixing bowl and with your fingertips; rub the butter or margarine into the flour. Stir in 3 level teaspoons of white sugar and then mix to a soft dough with about 4 tablespoons of cold milk.
Step 2	Divide the dumpling dough into 4 pieces on a floured board and carefully mould a piece around each quarter of an apple, making sure that the apple is completely covered.
Step 3	Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of sugar in the water in a medium sized saucepan and add the blackberries. Bring them to a gentle boil and then place the apple dumplings on top of the blackberries, cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes, do NOT take the lid off for the first 15 minutes.
Step 4	Serve one apple dumpling per person with some of the blackberries spooned over the top; fresh pouring cream or custard makes a nice accompaniment.