CARAMEL APPLE PUFF DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS:

Dumplings

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
4 medium cooking apples ( Golden Delicious or Jonathan)
4 tablespoons brown sugar or 4 tablespoons Splenda brown sugar blend
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon sugar or 1 teaspoon Splenda sugar substitute
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, for apples in case they start to turn brown

Sauce

1/2 cup prepared caramel ice cream topping
1/3 cup toasted chopped pecan halves
Cool Whip (optional)
vanilla ice cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Thaw and unfold puff pastry.
On lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a 16″ sqaure.
Cut with a knife into 4 equal pieces.
Peel and core apples.
Trim the bottoms so the apples sit flat.
Place 1 apple in the center of each square …