Food & Drink

Learn to make a delicious apple pandowdy!

This simple yet stunning dessert is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for any occasion.

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Learn to make a delicious apple pandowdy.

Friend of the show and celebrity chef Marisa Churchill shares her family recipe for apple pandowdy. Forget the fuss of traditional apple pie. Pandowdy offers a delightful twist with its rustic charm and minimal effort and it’s as easy as pie. 

MARISA CHURCHILL’S APPLE PANDOWDY

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

  • For the pie filling:
    • 5 cups Granny Smith apples, or other variety of about 4 large apples
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
    • 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
    • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    • 2 tablespoons dark rum or brandy
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1/4 cup pitted dates, chopped, or whole raisins
    • 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
  • For the crust: 1 recipe pie dough (recipe follows)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch pie pan that is 2-2.5 inches deep.

2. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast on the center rack of the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and slightly fragrant. Peel, core and slice the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the apples in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate small bowl, combine the sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.

4. Zest the orange using a fine grater, such as a microplane, and then add the zest, orange juice and lemon juice into the bowl with the apples. Next add the rum, water and honey.  Toss the mixture lightly by hand. Add the sugar mixture and toss until evenly coated.

5. Chop the walnuts and dates and stir into the apples. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie pan.

6. The pie crust should be already rolled to 1/8-inch thickness and chilling in the fridge. Using a pastry wheel cutter, pizza wheel, or a paring knife, cut the crust into 2-inch by 2-inch squares and place on top of the apples, overlapping the squares slightly, leaving a few pieces of apple peeking out. You may have a little dough left over.

7. Place the pie in the oven on the center rack and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and filling juices are bubbling up.  Remove the pie from the oven and cool for 20 minutes before serving. Scoop the pie onto plates and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

NOTE: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 days, cover with plastic wrap or foil and reheat before serving.

MARISA CHURCHILL’S CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Makes one 9” pie crust

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 ounces of cream cheese, cut into 1/2” cubes
  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes
  • 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt   
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons ice cold water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ice cold white vinegar or lemon juice

METHOD:

1. To make the crust, cut the butter and cream cheese into small cubes, scatter them in a single layer on a baking sheet or other freezer-safe surface, and freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

2. When you are ready to make the crust, take the cream cheese from the freezer (leave the butter for now). Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl; set aside. Stir together the water and vinegar in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Add cream cheese to the flour mixture and mix with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment at medium-low speed for 2 minutes to begin breaking it up. Add the cold butter to the mixture and continue mixing until the mixture looks sandy, with pebble-size pieces of cream cheese and butter. (Alternatively, you can mix in the cream cheese and the butter using a pastry cutter.)

4. With the mixer on low, add the water and vinegar mixture until the dough begins to ball up around the paddle. (If mixing by hand, toss in the water and vinegar with a fork.) Continue to mix the dough for another minute, once the dough ball has formed.

5. Roll the dough into a 13-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate, for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours before baking.

*Recipe Courtesy: Marisa Churchill

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