The Apple Dumpling came into my life 2 years ago via Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, a local fall institution here in Nebraska. I ordered one not knowing what to expect, and what came to my table was glorious: An entire apple wrapped in pie dough and baked until fork tender, hot, and smothered in caramel sauce.
This year on my annual pilgrimage to Vala’s, I opted to try their new Salted Brown Butter pie instead (it was just ok), which left the apple dumpling part of my soul empty and sad. So, I decided to make my own! I used this extensively reviewed recipe, omitting the sauce entirely and using only 4 apples instead of 6. I used Ina’s double pie crust recipe. I brushed each raw dumpling with melted butter and sprinkled lightly with granulated sugar. I warmed some store bought caramel sauce and drizzled it over the dumpling right before inhaling it shamelessly into my mouth.
Today at Whole Foods they had this candy corn as an impulse buy next to the checkout. Regular candy corn has gelatin so I haven’t had any since 2002 when I first went vegetarian. This brand, called “Sweets”, doesn’t! It does contain honey so it’s not suitable for vegans.
It smells identical and tastes very comparable to Brach’s: Sickly sweet, seasonal (things can taste “seasonal”, right?) and leaves you craving 64 oz of water. But dyed with pumpkin and carrots so that makes it totally ok!
The Portly Vegetarian 