Add the sugar, cinnamon, and flour to a wide shallow bowl. Stir to blend and then set aside.

Twist and remove the apple stems to use after the apple dumplings are cooked.

Working with one apple at a time, peel and then remove 3/4 of the core from the top of the apple. Leave the bottom 1/4 intact.

Roll the apple in the sugar mixture to coat it.

Place (and compact) 1-2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture into the scooped-out apple-core hole. Add 2 or 3 drops of vanilla flavoring. Press 1/2 tablespoon of butter into the hole. The butter should not extend past the top of the hole.

Cut an 8-inch pie crust into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll a dough ball into a circle big enough to cover an apple. It does not have to be perfect.

Place the prepared apple on the dough and pull it up and around the apple--do not stretch the dough. Cut off any excess dough at the top of the apple. Pat the dough to smooth it. Make sure all splits and tears are sealed. Check the bottom of the apple for dough splits too.

Use the leftover dough to make the leaves. Reroll it and use a small cookie cutter or cut leaves by hand. Use a toothpick to indent a long vein down the middle of each leaf and then make small veins beside the long center vein. Cut leaves in large and small sizes and apply them to the dumplings. Shape apple stems with the dough and add them. Or save the real ones and add them after the dumplings are baked.

Add the leaves to the apple and press firmly to attach.

Place the dough-covered apple on parchment paper in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Place 1/3 cup of cream in a small bowl. (Add more later if you run out before you finish all the apples.) Add a few drops of green food coloring and 1 drop of yellow to make green apples. Mix. Use a basting brush to paint the body of the apple. Paint it in place so as not to stretch or break the dough.

After all the apple bodies are tinted, add a few extra drops of green food coloring to the green cream to make a dark green. Paint the leaves this color so that they contrast with the apple body.

Repeat the process for all the rest of the apples.

Place the decorated apples in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven and bake at 350° F for 35-40 minutes. If the apples start to over-brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the dumplings.

After baking, insert the saved apple stems into the dumplings for a realistic effect (if you didn't use dough ones).

Serve with caramel sauce or vanilla ice cream.

Add the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and flour to a medium saucepan and stir to combine.

Add the water and butter and heat on medium until the syrup reaches a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for a minute or two until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Stir. Spoon over individual apple dumplings.