Pear and Apple Pandowdy
I love pandowdy and so does my family. This is honestly one of our favourite desserts.
We love fresh fruit based desserts and we love this pastry. It is a lovely dessert, a perfect way to end a meal.
This pandowdy has a filling of pears and apples, but you can quite easily use just apples, it should work just fine. The recipe says to use golden delicious apples, I had pink lady apples and used them instead, worked just fine.
This is a good dessert to make when you have pears that have passed that perfect eating stage, they get baked and become amazing again.
If you get stuck with the pastry, as it is quite sticky, simple blob it the fruit, spread it out if you can and it still bakes beautifully, so don't panic as this is supposed to be an easy dish. But to avoid that from happening in the first place, refrigerating the pastry for 20 minutes prior to rolling it helps.
If you don't have on ovenproof frying pan, or a cast iron pan, you could just make the filling in a normal frying pan, then place the filling in an ovenproof dish, then continue with the recipe.
This is simple, but really nice, something you need to try.
We love fresh fruit based desserts and we love this pastry. It is a lovely dessert, a perfect way to end a meal.
This pandowdy has a filling of pears and apples, but you can quite easily use just apples, it should work just fine. The recipe says to use golden delicious apples, I had pink lady apples and used them instead, worked just fine.
This is a good dessert to make when you have pears that have passed that perfect eating stage, they get baked and become amazing again.
If you get stuck with the pastry, as it is quite sticky, simple blob it the fruit, spread it out if you can and it still bakes beautifully, so don't panic as this is supposed to be an easy dish. But to avoid that from happening in the first place, refrigerating the pastry for 20 minutes prior to rolling it helps.
If you don't have on ovenproof frying pan, or a cast iron pan, you could just make the filling in a normal frying pan, then place the filling in an ovenproof dish, then continue with the recipe.
This is simple, but really nice, something you need to try.
Recipe
Here I have combined two recipes, the fruit filling I got from Nigella Lawson's cookbook Kitchen, whilst the pastry I found at www.taste.com.au
Serves 6
4 William pears
2 golden delicious apples
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon for sprinkling
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
For the pastry:
150g self raising flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
100g butter, chopped
1 egg
65g sour cream
Lightly whisked egg, to brush
1 tablespoon raw or Demerara sugar
1 x cast iron skillet or ovenproof frying pan approximately 25cm diameter
Serves 6
4 William pears
2 golden delicious apples
50g unsalted butter
50g caster sugar, plus 1/2 teaspoon for sprinkling
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
For the pastry:
150g self raising flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon custard powder
100g butter, chopped
1 egg
65g sour cream
Lightly whisked egg, to brush
1 tablespoon raw or Demerara sugar
1 x cast iron skillet or ovenproof frying pan approximately 25cm diameter
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced.
Peel the pears and apples, then quarter them and slice out the cores. Cut the pears into 2cm pieces and the apples into 1cm pieces.
Using a frying pan that can go into the oven later or a cast iron pan, over medium heat melt the butter. Add the diced fruit, sugar and lemon zest. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Take off the heat while you make the pastry.
Peel the pears and apples, then quarter them and slice out the cores. Cut the pears into 2cm pieces and the apples into 1cm pieces.
Using a frying pan that can go into the oven later or a cast iron pan, over medium heat melt the butter. Add the diced fruit, sugar and lemon zest. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Take off the heat while you make the pastry.
For the pastry: Process the flour, icing sugar, custard powder and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the egg and sour cream and process until the mixture almost comes together.
Form a disc, cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Cut two large pieces of baking paper. Dust one with plain flour. Turn the pastry onto the floured baking paper. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour. Cover with the other sheet of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle slightly larger than your frying pan. Remove the top sheet of baking paper, turn dough over onto the pear mixture, peel away the other sheet of baking paper. Fold back any excess pastry and remember the rustic look is the whole point of this dessert (even if your pastry tears, keep it on, it still bakes fine).
Brush with whisked egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remember the handle will be searingly hot, so transfer carefully to the table, and preferably cover the handle with an oven mitt.
Form a disc, cover with glad wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Cut two large pieces of baking paper. Dust one with plain flour. Turn the pastry onto the floured baking paper. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour. Cover with the other sheet of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a circle slightly larger than your frying pan. Remove the top sheet of baking paper, turn dough over onto the pear mixture, peel away the other sheet of baking paper. Fold back any excess pastry and remember the rustic look is the whole point of this dessert (even if your pastry tears, keep it on, it still bakes fine).
Brush with whisked egg and sprinkle with raw sugar. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remember the handle will be searingly hot, so transfer carefully to the table, and preferably cover the handle with an oven mitt.
Serve with cream, custard or vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!
