OLD FASHIONED APPLE PANDOWDY

By BobD

Ingredients

• SERVES 6
• FOR FRUIT FILLING
• 1/3 cup molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 Gala or Granny Smith apples (2 to 21/2 lb), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
• FOR BISCUIT TOP
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream plus additional for brushing
• ACCOMPANIMENT: heavy cream

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

MAKE FRUIT FILLING:
Preheat oven to 375F with rack in middle.

Stir together molasses, water, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Add apples and stir to coat, then stir in flour and sugar.

Transfer apple mixture to a 9-inch square baking pan and dot with butter.

Bake, covered with foil, 25 minutes.

MAKE BISCUIT TOP WHILE FILLING BAKES:

Whisk together flour, baking powder, 1 tsp sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream and stir with a fork just until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times to bring dough together. Pat or roll dough into an 8-inch square. Brush with a little additional cream and sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp sugar.

FINISH PANDOWDY:

Cover hot fruit with dough and bake, uncovered, until biscuit is just golden, about 20 minutes. Use a spoon to break up biscuit top and mix slightly with filling, drizzling some of apples and liquid over biscuit.

Continue to bake until apples are tender and biscuit is golden brown in spots, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Cool to warm, about 20 minutes.