Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.

For the filling:

1. Peel, core and cut apples into chunks.
2. Put on an 8x11-inch ceramic or glass dish, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Mix water with cornstarch until well dissolved and pour over apples.
4. Mix lightly and reserve.

For topping:

1. In a bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Add milk and butter and mix lightly until moistened. Don’t overmix.
3. Drop this topping over the filling in mounds.
4. With the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread each mound a little, but don’t cover all the pears.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes. It will be golden on top, but if you lift the dough it will still have unbaked parts.
6. Turn the oven down to 325°F/165°C and bake another 15 minutes, or until very golden and the biscuit topping is dry and done. Lift it here and there carefully with a fork and check that the inside is fully baked.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
8. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
9. You can keep it refrigerated for 3 days, covered. Or frozen for 2 weeks, well wrapped.
10. Warm before eating.