Syrup:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Dash salt
Dumplings:
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
You will need a 3 quart saucepan with a
good lid in which to cook this dessert.
Begin by combining all of the items listed
for the syrup inside the saucepan. Bring the
mixture to a boil over medium heat. While it
is heating, combine the flour, baking powder
and salt in a bowl. Cut in the shortening,
until the mixture resembles very coarse
crumbs. Sprinkle the sugar over the flour
mixture and blend briefly. Stir in the milk,
making a soft dough. Pinch off marble sized
pieces of the dough and drop them into the
gently boiling brown sugar syrup. Fill the
entire pan with these small dough balls.
When you have used up all of the dough,
place the lid on the pot. Simmer the mixture
over medium-low heat for about 15 to 20
minutes, without peaking. The dumplings will
steam while they cook, and if you peak they
will fall and you will wind up with soggy
dumplings instead of fluffy ones. After
cooking, serve the dumplings with a large
dollop of their cooking syrup and a small
scoop of vanilla ice cream. These are very
inexpensive and absolutely delicious to eat.
I recommend serving them with a light supper
in the summertime. Because they cook on the
stove top instead of in the oven, the
kitchen doesn't heat up quite as badly as
with baked desserts. This recipe serves 6.
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