Apple Puffs

• 6 firm apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish. Arrange apple slices in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
2. Stir 2 1/2 cups white sugar, water, and food coloring together in a saucepan; bring to a boil and cook until mixture reduces to a thick pink syrup, about 10 minutes. Pour syrup over apples.
3. Melt butter in the same saucepan over medium heat; stir 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon into butter until dissolved. Remove from heat.
4. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture using two knives or a pastry cutter until mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Stir milk into shortening mixture until a soft dough comes together.
5. Drop dough by the tablespoonful over apples; lightly press the back of a spoon onto each "puff" of dough to form a small dent. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture into each dent.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until dough puffs and apples are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

firm apples, white sugar, water, red food coloring, butter, white sugar, ground cinnamon, flour, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/239632/apple-puffs/ (may not work)