Apple Pandowdy

Photo and Food Styling: Kelly Vaughan

Pandowdy is fun to say but it’s even more enjoyable to eat. This easy apple dessert features a spiced apple filling that’s “dowdied” up with a puff pastry topping (hence the historic name, which is said to have been introduced by German immigrants during the American colonial period). It’s just as delicious and crowd-friendly as an apple pie but so much easier to make. A pandowdy can contain any fruit filling but arguably the most popular is apple. Chop up a combination of baking apples such as tart Granny Smith, sweet, hearty Pink Lady or the always accessible Honeycrisp. Toss with a combination of brown sugar, a bevy of warm spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg), lemon juice and butter.

What makes this dessert so remarkably easy and foolproof is the topping. You can keep the food processor and pastry cutter tucked away — all you need is a box of frozen puff pastry. Roll it out, cut it into triangles and scatter the dough pieces over the apples. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar for a glistening, golden brown finish.

Try pears instead of apples, or a combination of the two, for a sweet autumnal dessert.