Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 4 Tbsp Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup Cold Whole Milk or Buttermilk
  • 4 medium firm cooking apples (e.g., Honeycrisp, Fuji), peeled, cored, and halved
  • 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar, packed (for filling)
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch of Nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed (for sauce)
  • 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (for sauce)
  • 1 cup Water or Apple Cider
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Salt

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and baking powder.
  2. Cut in Butter: Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the cold butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (like pea-sized pieces).
  3. Form Dough: Gradually add the cold milk, mixing gently until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix. Wrap the dough lightly and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  4. Prep Apples and Season: Peel, core, and slice the 4 apples in half. Toss the apple halves in the small amount of cinnamon and brown sugar listed for the filling.
  5. Roll Dough and Wrap: Divide the chilled dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into an approximate 6-inch square or circle. Place one seasoned apple half in the centre of each dough piece. Fold the corners of the dough up and over the apple, pinching the seams tightly to seal the dumpling, ensuring there are no gaps.
  6. Prepare Sauce Base and Load: Pour the apple cider (or water), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp butter, vanilla, and salt into the liner of the Instant Pot. Stir briefly. Place the metal trivet inside the pot. Create a parchment paper sling and carefully place the wrapped dumplings onto the sling. Lower the sling onto the trivet.
  7. Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the venting knob is set to SEALING. Select Manual/Pressure Cook on HIGH Pressure for 5 minutes.
  8. Release: Once cooking is complete, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 5 minutes, then switch the knob to Venting for a Quick Release (QR) of any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid and use the parchment sling to lift the cooked dumplings out onto a serving plate.
  9. Thicken and Serve the Sauce: Remove the trivet from the IP liner. Select the Sauté function (Normal setting). Allow the sauce liquid to simmer rapidly for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces and thickens slightly into a sticky caramel syrup. Spoon the hot caramel sauce generously over the dumplings.