Mennonite Apple Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons shortening
1 cup milk
4 or 5 apples pared, cored and cut in half
Sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Sift the dry ingredients, cut in shortening, add milk and mix to a smooth dough. Turn onto a floured board and divide into 8 or 10 portions; roll out each portion large enough to cover 1/2 apple. Place apple on each piece of dough, fill core hollow with sugar and cinnamon. Wet edges of dough and press together over apple. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until the apples are tender - about 1/2 hour. Serve with boiled Brown Sugar Sauce or put the dumplings into a baking dish, pour the uncooked ingredients for Brown Sugar Sauce into the pan around them and bake until the dumplings are done and the sauce is thick.

Brown Sugar Sauce
2 cups water
2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter

Combine and cook together for 5 minutes; or simply pour uncooked sauce around dumplings and bake.