APPLE-FILLED COFFEE CAKE

1/4 cup shortening
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup finely chopped peeled or unpeeled apple (about 1 small)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
Glaze, if desired (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease round pan, 8 × 1 1/2 inches, or square pan, 8 × 8 × 2 inches.

Cut shortening into flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder and salt with pastry blender in large bowl until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl and forms a ball.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Knead lightly 20 to 25 times. Divide dough into 12 equal parts; cover.

Mix apple, 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon.

Pat each part dough into 3-inch circle on floured surface. Place 1 rounded teaspoonful apple mixture in center of each circle. Bring edges of dough up over apple mixture; pinch and seal well to from a ball. Arrange balls, seam sides down, in pan. Brush with margarine.

Bake 17 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. Drizzle Glaze over warm coffee cake.

Serve warm or let stand until cool.

FOR THE GLAZE:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients for the glaze together until smooth.

Servings: 6
Source: Betty Crocker, General Mills, Inc. 1998