APPLE OR PEAR PANDOWDY
6 to 8 servings
This is best served warm on the day it’s made.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have ready an unbuttered 8-inch square baking dish.
Prepare:
- ½ recipe All-Butter Pie or Pastry Dough, or Basic Pie or Pastry Dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 9-inch square. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Peel, core, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices:
- 2 pounds (910g) apples or ripe pears
Combine the fruit in a large bowl with:
- ½ cup maple syrup (155g), molasses (170g), packed brown sugar (115g), or white sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoons (15g) cornstarch or 3 tablespoons (25g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Spread the fruit mixture evenly in the baking dish. Dot with:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for a few minutes, until pliable, then arrange the dough over the top of the apples. Tuck the edges of the dough into the dish. Bake until the top has browned lightly, about 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
With a knife, score the crust into 2-inch squares. Baste the crust squares by tilting the pan and spooning the juices over them; or submerge the squares in the juices with the back of a spoon. Return the dish to the oven and bake until the fruit is tender when pierced with a skewer, the filling has thickened slightly, and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes more. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.