APPLE PANDOWDY (for six)
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For the fruit filling:
1/3 cup molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
5 Gala or Granny Smith apples (2 to 2-½ pounds), peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch wedges
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
For the biscuit top:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar, divided
½ teaspoon salt
¾ stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream, plus additional for brushing
- Make the fruit filling: Preheat oven to 375* with rack in the 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 at 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 teaspoon 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 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 teaspoons 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 the apples and liquid over the 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.
from Gourmet Magazine, August, 2009