Gluten-free Apple Cobbler!
I have been working on this recipe for a long time and have developed a version that I love. I wanted tender, sweet and spicy apples with a light biscuit-y topping. It took many (increasingly delicious) trials, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. It is great as-is, and also delectable topped with non-dairy vanilla "ice cream."
This makes a small cobbler, just right for the two of us and for the small oven of the travel trailer that is our home. I'm working on scaling it up and will include a larger version once I've nailed it.
Apple desserts are usually best when you use more than one variety. This gives depth to the flavor. Sometimes, I just use whichever apples are going "punky" in the fridge. For my most recent version, I used Golden Delicious and Macintosh. The Golden Delicious were pale and had a surprising lemony tang, rather than golden-yellow with the basic sweet flavor I remember. Maybe they were mislabeled. This classic variety is becoming rare, as the trees don't lend themselves to current cultivation methods.
When choosing apples for baking, I like to aim for one that is sweet and one that is more tart, though I often just go with all-sweet. Many people use Granny Smiths for baking, but I'm not a fan of their flavor or texture. {shrug} Personal preference. There are resources online showing which varieties are better for baking and which for eating fresh. As I mentioned, I often just use whatever has passed its prime and I've always been happy with the results.
Apple Cobbler
Serves 2-6
*sized for 5x8-inch glass baking dish*
Prep: 15-30 minutes
Bake: 45 minutes- 1 hour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Apple mixture:
4 cups chopped apples (3 or 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut into roughly 1/2" chunks)
~toss with 1 Tablespoon tapioca starch
~combine 1/3 cup water with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, sprinkle over apples and toss well
Spice mixture:
1/4 cup sugar (Raw organic sugar. I use less sugar than others may prefer. Taste after mixing with spices, and add sugar if desired)
2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (reduces the glycemic load, adds a hint of caramel flavor)
3/4- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (if your cinnamon is strong, like Korintje, use 3/4 tsp.)
1/8 teaspoon sifted nutmeg (I always put nutmeg through a small wire mesh strainer to remove larger grains that are hard on teeth)
1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt (I usually use Himalayan pink salt)
~Whisk to combine. Add to apple mixture and stir to combine. Pour into baking dish.
"Biscuit" Topping
Dry Ingredients:
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup arrowroot starch
1 Tablespoon sugar (same raw organic cane sugar as above)
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
~Whisk together well
Add fat:
1/4 cup Spectrum palm kernel oil shortening (dairy-free stick margarine would also work)
~ Use your fingers or a pastry blender to work in shortening. Small lumps are okay.
Liquid ingredients:
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I use Silk brand coconut milk)
with 1/2 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
Melt 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (I use buttery flavored coconut oil)
(melt, if not already liquid at room temperature. I put it in a small bowl in the microwave for 15-20 seconds- just until liquid)
Combine:
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk-vanilla mixture and stir with a fork. When mostly combined, drizzle melted coconut oil over and quickly mix in. Stir just until ingredients are combined. and dough starts to thicken. Scoop with mixing fork (roughly one tablespoon at a time) and drop blobs onto top of apple mixture in baking dish. It's fine if the apple mixture peeks through in places. You're going for a "cobbled" texture, not a solid covering. Let rest for a couple of minutes, for baking powder to start working. **
Bake, uncovered, in preheated 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until filling is bubbling and topping is cooked and just starting to brown in places. Depending on your oven, it may take less or more time. Start checking at forty minutes, but allow up to an hour, just in case.Remove from oven and let cool for at least ten minutes before serving.
*The filling must boil in order to thicken properly. It needs to be bubbling all the way to the center.
Serve warm as-is, or top with non-dairy ice cream, non-dairy "cream" or creamer, or even non-dairy vanilla flavored yogurt. I love how a creamy topping softens the spices and melts into the biscuit-y topping. Enjoy! Thanks for stopping by.
**Double-acting baking powder, the standard in most brands, reacts twice- once with the liquid and again with the heat from the oven.
