- Joined
- Nov 26, 2016
- Location
- central NC
Apple cobbler
No machine-readable author provided. Infratec~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Pandowdy is a 19th century recipe (some sources say 18th century) of spiced apples covered with a biscuit type batter or crust. The crust is "dowdied" (cut and pressed) into the apples half way. According to John Mariani in The Dictionary of American Food and Drink, pandowdy was first mentioned in print in 1805. However, the dessert turned up decades later (1852) in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Blithedale Romance.
The recipe for Apple Pandowdy below is said to be from Hannah Putnam of Connecticut, wife of Revolutionary War general Israel Putnam. This recipe is adapted from Eleanor Early's The New England Cookbook (1954). Mrs. Putnam's great-great-great-great-grandson told Ms. Early his family had been eating this pandowdy for 200 years.
Apple Pandowdy
4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4-5 apples)
½ cup apple cider
½ tsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp cloves
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup butter
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 1½-quart or other deep baking dish. Arrange apple slices in the dish and pour the cider over them. Mix the spices with the sugar and sprinkle that mixture over the apples. Dot with the butter.
2. Make biscuit dough (see recipe below). Roll out the dough about ½-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut a round from the dough slightly smaller than the baking dish and place on top of the apple mixture. Make several slits in the dough with a knife so that steam can escape.
3. Bake pandowdy in the preheated oven until the apples are tender and the crust is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Before serving, cut up the crust a little, pushing it down into the apples. Serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
Biscuit Dough
(Also from The New England Cookbook)
2 cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup butter, cold, cut into small squares
¾ cup whole milk
1. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter until it is the size of small peas.
2. Add milk and stir gently until well absorbed, and the dough forms a rough ball.
3. Place the dough on a floured board and knead briefly. Continue as directed above. (If any dough remains after you've cut out your pandowdy top, you can cut it into small rounds and bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 450°F for about 12 minutes.)
Suggestions from Revolutionary Pie blog: Use very cold butter for the biscuit dough and roll it out and cut it quickly. This dish is actually better reheated a few days later because it allows the sauce to thicken.
Last edited by a moderator:
Forum Host
Bringing the