Martha Stewart Apple Dumplings

Directions

• Make the pastry dough: Pulse 3 3/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 5 teaspoons sugar in a food processor, then add 3 sticks cold cubed butter. Pulse until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces left.
• Add the ice water: Drizzle in 3/4 cup ice water and pulse until the dough holds together when pinched. If it feels crumbly, add more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, and do not over-process.
• Chill the dough: Divide the dough into thirds and knead each piece once or twice on plastic wrap. Form into squares, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Roll and cut the pastry: Roll each square into an 8-by-14-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Cut each one into two 9-inch triangles plus some leaves, then mark the veins with the back of a knife.
• Keep the pastry cold: Set the triangles and leaves on parchment-lined baking sheets and cover them with plastic wrap. Keeping them chilled until you need them helps the crust bake up flaky.
• Core the apples: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then peel 6 firm, tart apples without removing the stems. Use an apple corer from the bottom to remove the core to within about 3/4 inch of the top, then scrape out stray seeds with a 1/4 teaspoon.
• Fill and bake the apples: Mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter, 6 tablespoons raisins and the lemon zest until fully combined. Divide it among the cavities, set the apples in a 13-by-9-inch dish with 3 tablespoons water, and bake about 1 hour, basting now and then, until just fork-tender.
• Cool the apples: Move the baking dish to a wire rack. Let the apples cool completely before you wrap them.
• Wrap the dumplings: Place each apple in the center of a pastry triangle and whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Brush the pastry edges with the egg wash, bring them up and pinch to seal, leaving the stems showing.
• Decorate and chill: Stick the leaves on with a little egg wash and set the dumplings on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush them lightly with more egg wash and chill until firm, saving the rest of the wash.
• Bake until golden: Preheat the oven to 400°F and brush the dumplings once more with egg wash. Bake 25 to 35 minutes until nicely browned, then let them cool slightly before serving.