Peach Dumplings with Brandy Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.8 teaspoon salt 
• 0.7 cup shortening 
• 4 tablespoons water cold
• 6  peaches fresh pitted peeled cut in half and
• 3 tablespoons raisins 
• 3 tablespoons nuts chopped
• 2.5 cups brown sugar packed
• 1.3 cups water 
• 1  eggs 
• 0.8 cup whipping cream 
• 0.3 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon brandy 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• blender
• rolling pin

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl, mix flour and salt.
2. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas.
3. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
4. Gather pastry into a ball; reserve one-third of the pastry. Shape remaining pastry into flattened round on lightly floured surface. With floured rolling pin, roll into 14-inch square; cut into 4 squares.
5. Roll reserved pastry into 14x7-inch rectangle; cut into 2 squares.
6. Place 1 peach half, flat side up, on each square. In small bowl, mix raisins and nuts; spoon into center of each peach half. Top with remaining peach halves. Moisten corners of square; bring 2 opposite corners of pastry up over peach and press corners together. Fold in sides of remaining corners; bring corners up over peach and press together.
7. Place dumplings in ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
8. In 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar and 1 1/3 cups water to boiling, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Carefully pour around dumplings.
9. Bake about 40 minutes, spooning syrup in pan over dumplings about 5 minutes before dumplings are done, until pastry is brown and peaches are tender.
10. In 2-quart saucepan, beat egg with wire whisk until foamy.
11. Add whipping cream and granulated sugar; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in brandy.
12. Serve warm over dumplings.