Vegan Apple Rhubarb Dumpling with pomegranate sauce

With the upcoming move to the San Francisco Bay Area I have been in the process of emptying out the freezer and fridge. I had to make a dessert for thanksgiving dinner with our neighbors, and have been trying to find a use for Apples, rhubarb and pomegranate juice that have been taking up space in the fridge and freezer. My wife gave me the idea of making dumplings with the apples (I have never made or heard of an apple dumpling). So after some research and experimentation this is what I came up with. Enjoy.

What you need:

3 Apples (any kind peeled, cored, and halved)

1 Batch of double crust pastry

2 cups of frozen or fresh rhubarb

8 ounces of POM pomegranate juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

3 TBL AP flour

1/2 cup cold water

The Process:

First make and chill your pastry.
While the pastry is chilling bring your rhubarb, half the pomegranate juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to a heavy simmer.
Reduce heat and let simmer for 3-5 minutes.
While the rhubarb mixture is simmering whisk together the flour and cold water, then stir into your rhubarb mixture. Continue on a light simmer while continually stirring until the sauce thickens up slightly about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
On a lightly floured surface roll out your pastry into a large rectangle so it is around 1/8 inch thick. You’ll want to be able to cut out 5×5 squares for the dumplings.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
On one of the 5×5 pastry squares place half an apple flat side up, then top with about 1.5 TBL of the rhubarb mixture, then lightly brush the revealed pastry with cold water. Now pull up two opposite corners and press to seal, then pull together the opposite corners and press. Seam the edges together by gently pressing. Transfer onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Repeat until all the apple halves have been wrapped.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
in the last 5 minutes of baking add the remaining pomegranate juice to the leftover sauce and bring up to a light simmer while whisking. Simmer until a semi thick sauce remains.
Serve dumplings drizzled with the sauce while still hot.

Enjoy.