Pear Dumplings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 6  bosc pears ripe
• 0.3 cup firmly brown sugar light packed
• 0.3 cup butter softened
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 3 cups flour all-purpose
• 3 inch ginger fresh
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 cup macadamia nuts chopped
• 0.8 cup milk 
• 1  rind of orange cut into strips
• 1  teaspooon salt 
• 1 cup shortening 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• sieve
• blender
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 37
2. Stir together first 3 ingredients; cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Gradually add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 to 5 times. Shape into a 12-inch log.
4. Cut log into 6 (2-inch) pieces. Shape each into a disk, and roll each into an 8-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.
5. Peel pears, reserving peels. Core each pear from bottom, leaving top 2 inches and stems intact.
6. Stir together brown sugar and next 2 ingredients; spoon about 1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar mixture into each pear cavity, pressing firmly.
7. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture in center of pastry circles (about 1 1/2 Tbsp. each).
8. Place 1 pear in center of each pastry circle. Dot pears with 1/4 cup softened butter. Press dough around pears with palms of hands, sealing around stem.
9. Place in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
10. Bake at 375 for 40 to 50 minutes, shielding with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.
11. Bring granulated sugar, next 3 ingredients, reserved pear peels, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
12. Pour through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids.
13. Pour syrup over dumplings.
14. Serve immediately.