Sift the flour into a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and golden syrup and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 18 balls.
To make the sauce, combine the water, golden syrup, sugar and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer.
Add the dumplings to the sauce. Cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Use a slotted spoon to divide the dumplings among serving bowls. Spoon the sauce over the dumplings and serve with ice-cream or cream.
