Step 1

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or fork until a pebbly texture forms (with butter chunks about the size of peas). Add the milk and stir to combine, adding more milk by the tablespoon until the dough comes together (we usually add about 2 more tablespoons). Divide the dough into 6 equal balls (about 100 g each). Place in a covered container and refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 3

Peel the apples, then cut out the cores with a knife. Slice the apples into 1/8th thick rings width-wise, so the apple can stack after being cut (see the photos above). You can do this with an apple peeler-corer-slicer, or by hand. Check to make sure there are no extra seeds left inside the apple slices.

Step 4

In a small bowl, mix the filling ingredients: granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. Cut the 3-tablespoon piece of butter into 6 small stick shapes that fit inside the hole in the center of the apple.

Step 5

Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll out one piece of dough wide enough to cover the apple when folded, about 8 inches in diameter. Place an apple in the center. Place 1 butter pat and 1 tablespoon of spiced sugar into the center of the apple. Wrap the dough up and around the apple from each side. Pinch the top gently to seal. Repeat for each dumpling, placing the finished dumplings in an ungreased 9 x 13” pan.

Step 6

Bake the dumplings for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the syrup: bring the brown sugar, water, cinnamon and butter to a boil, stirring often, then remove from the heat.

Step 7

After the first 15 minutes of bake time, spoon a few tablespoons of the syrup over each dumpling, using about half of the syrup. Bake for another 30 minutes, then spoon the remaining syrup over the dumplings. Bake for a final 15 minutes (to make a total of 1 hour bake time). Remove from the oven and allow to cool a few minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.