Pendle Hill’s Kitchen/Garden Intern Stacy Nagel adapted this recipe and baked it for guests and residents. It’s a delicious way to serve those older apples that sit neglected in many refrigerators in March. Enjoy!
Old-Fashioned Apple Pan Dowdy
Fruit Filling
- 1/3 c molasses
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 Gala or Granny Smith apples, or any kind, peeled, cored, and cut into ½” wedges (2 ½ lbs)
- ½ c dried cranberries
- ½ c chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp flour
- ½ c sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
Biscuit Top
- 2 c flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3 tsp sugar, divided
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ stick (6 tbsp) cold butter, cut into ½” pieces
- 1 c heavy cream
Serve with
Additional heavy cream
First, make the fruit filling:
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Stir together the molasses, water, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.
- Add the apples, cranberries, and walnuts and stir to coat.
- Stir in the flour and sugar.
- Dot with the butter.
- Transfer to a 9” square pan.
- Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes.
While the filling bakes, make the biscuit top:
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Blend in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and stir with a fork just until the dough forms.
- Spread or pat the dough lightly on top of the fruit filling.
- Brush with a little extra cream and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tsp sugar.
- Bake, uncovered, until the biscuit is golden, about 30 minutes.
Serve with fresh cream. Serves 6.
