Not all pandowdies call for spices, but many do, and with good reason. They enhance the taste of the fruit, as well as contribute to the amazing aroma that fills the kitchen during baking. A little molasses brings out the best in apples, too, and really distinguishes the dish from an apple cobbler.
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (yellow part of the peel)
11 tbsp unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into 1/3-inch bits
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup sour cream or light sour cream
Filling:
1/3 cup cold water blended with 1 tbsp Rumford Corn Starch (or a scant 2 tbsp Rumford Corn Starch if using peaches)
8 or 9 large Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Stayman or other flavorful cooking apples (about 4 pounds), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (or 10 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced)
Dough:
3/4 cup granulated sugar (use a little more for very tart fruit)
2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/3 cup molasses (mild-flavored, not blackstrap)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Rumford Baking Powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp Clabber Girl Baking Soda
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish (or coat with non-stick spray). Place a rack in the middle third of the oven and preheat to 350 F. For the filling: Stir together the fruit, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, allspice, lemon zest, butter, and water-cornstarch mixture in a very large non-reactive saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a gentle boil; cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spread the mixture in the baking dish. For the dough: Combine the flour, Rumford Baking Powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Sprinkle the butter over top. Process in 30 1-second on/off pulses, or just until the butter is cut in with some bits the size of peas remaining. Drop dollops of sour cream over the top. Process in 15 to 20 1-second pulses, or just until the sour cream is thoroughly incorporated; stop halfway through and stir to lift up the crumbs from the bottom. Check the consistency frequently by stopping and pressing the mixture together with the fingers until it forms a smooth dough. (If it is too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse until the mixture just holds together.) Remove the blade; turn out the dough onto wax paper. Press and smooth it into a rough rectangle. Place it between two long sheets of baking parchment or wax paper. Roll it out until evenly thick and roughly 9 1/2- by 13 1/2-inches. Peel off and discard one sheet. With a large knife, trim off and discard the uneven dough edges, then use them to patch the rectangle to achieve the 9- by 13-inch dimensions. Center the dough, facing down, over the fruit. Peel off and discard the paper. Using a greased paring knife, cut decorative steam vents in the dough surface. Bake (middle third of the oven) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the edges are bubbly. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Keeps, covered, for 2 days, refrigerated for 4 days. Tip: For a fine peach pandowdy, substitute about 10 large, ripe peaches (about 4 pounds) for the apples. The peaches will be juicier, so will need more cornstarch. Otherwise, prepare the peach and apple versions exactly the same.
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (yellow part of the peel)
11 tbsp unsalted butter, well chilled and cut into 1/3-inch bits
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup sour cream or light sour cream
Filling:
1/3 cup cold water blended with 1 tbsp Rumford Corn Starch (or a scant 2 tbsp Rumford Corn Starch if using peaches)
8 or 9 large Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Stayman or other flavorful cooking apples (about 4 pounds), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (or 10 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced)
Dough:
3/4 cup granulated sugar (use a little more for very tart fruit)
2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/3 cup molasses (mild-flavored, not blackstrap)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp Rumford Baking Powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp Clabber Girl Baking Soda
Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish (or coat with non-stick spray). Place a rack in the middle third of the oven and preheat to 350 F. For the filling: Stir together the fruit, sugar, molasses, cinnamon, allspice, lemon zest, butter, and water-cornstarch mixture in a very large non-reactive saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a gentle boil; cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spread the mixture in the baking dish. For the dough: Combine the flour, Rumford Baking Powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Sprinkle the butter over top. Process in 30 1-second on/off pulses, or just until the butter is cut in with some bits the size of peas remaining. Drop dollops of sour cream over the top. Process in 15 to 20 1-second pulses, or just until the sour cream is thoroughly incorporated; stop halfway through and stir to lift up the crumbs from the bottom. Check the consistency frequently by stopping and pressing the mixture together with the fingers until it forms a smooth dough. (If it is too dry, add up to 1 tablespoon cold water and pulse until the mixture just holds together.) Remove the blade; turn out the dough onto wax paper. Press and smooth it into a rough rectangle. Place it between two long sheets of baking parchment or wax paper. Roll it out until evenly thick and roughly 9 1/2- by 13 1/2-inches. Peel off and discard one sheet. With a large knife, trim off and discard the uneven dough edges, then use them to patch the rectangle to achieve the 9- by 13-inch dimensions. Center the dough, facing down, over the fruit. Peel off and discard the paper. Using a greased paring knife, cut decorative steam vents in the dough surface. Bake (middle third of the oven) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and the edges are bubbly. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Keeps, covered, for 2 days, refrigerated for 4 days. Tip: For a fine peach pandowdy, substitute about 10 large, ripe peaches (about 4 pounds) for the apples. The peaches will be juicier, so will need more cornstarch. Otherwise, prepare the peach and apple versions exactly the same.