Whole-apple dumplings with brown sugar sauce

Heat the conventional oven to 180 °C. Grease a 33 × 23 cm dish with 5 g butter. Peel and core the whole apples. Mix 30 g brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon and divide between the cavities. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Rub in 152 g cold butter with your fingertips, leaving small pieces. Stir in milk and bring together without prolonged kneading.

Roll the dough between paper into a rectangle about 43 × 33 cm. Cut into 6 equal pieces, one per apple. Set the apples on top, bring up the dough and seal with the reserved 5 ml water. Place in the dish without crowding.

Put the remaining 426 g brown sugar, 480 ml water and remaining 0.25 tsp cinnamon in a saucepan. Heat for about 5 minutes until boiling, then gently boil for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 57 g butter until melted. Pour over the wrapped apples.

Bake for about 60 minutes at 180 °C until the pastry is golden and apples are tender when pierced to the centre. Extend according to size. Colour alone is not enough. Rest for 10 minutes and serve with the sauce. Refrigerate leftovers once cooled.