There is not much tastier than tart Granny Smith apples baked with cinnamon and sugar and topped with a yummy crust.  We hosted a little dinner party recently and I whipped up this apple cobbler for dessert.  The most difficult part is peeling the apples, but if you can get through that (or get someone else to do it), the rest is a breeze!  Sadly I failed to take many photos because I was running behind (shocker), but you get the idea.

Marcille Bakeware brownie pan and Natalie Lete Francophile Pie Dish

apple cobbler

(the filling)
4 lbs Granny Smith apples
1 lemon
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

(the crust)
2 Cups flour
1/4 Cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp  baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, cubed
1 Cup buttermilk

Optional crust add-ins to make it fancy: 
zest of 1 lemon
spoonful of chopped crystallized ginger
brown sugar

make filling

1. Grease a pie plate or brownie pan with butter and set aside.
2. Peel and core the apples, then cut into 1/2 inch chunks and place them in a large bowl.  Squirt the juice of the lemon over the apple chunks to keep them from turning brown.
3. Add the sugar, cinnamon, flour, and nutmeg to the bowl of apples.  Stir until the spices and sugar are evenly distributed.
4. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and then pour it into the bowl of apple chunks.  Stir the apples until the butter has coated all the pieces.  [**Note:  This will leave the apples in the filling slightly crunchy; if you prefer the apples to be soft, then melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the apple mixture to the  saucepan of melted butter and cook about 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender.**]
6. Transfer the apple filling to the greased pan.
   

   make crust

7.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
8. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a fork until well mixed.
9. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and use your fingers to cut the butter into the flour mixture.  Keep at it until the largest piece of butter is o bigger than a pea.
10. Optional:  Stir in the lemon zest and/or crystallized ginger if desired.
11. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into it.  Stir with a fork until all of the flour is moistened — but not longer!  Don’t overwork the dough.
12. Crumble the dough over the apples.
13. Optional:  Sprinkle some brown sugar on top of the dough.
    

    bake

14. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Once the top begins to brown, lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more.  [**Tip:  Place a rimmed cookie sheet or piece of foil on a lower rack to catch any drippings!**]
15. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

xoxo
-ash