Easy Brown Butter Any Fruit Pandowdy
A rustically simple yet massively flavorful fruit pie of sorts, ready for riffing and flavor swapping, as you see fit. This mixture of flavorings is universally applicable and will work with everything from apples and pears to berries and rhubarb – use whatever is seasonal or sounds good to you. This easy mixture is especially delicious, in my humble opinion, and great when served with generous scoops of melty vanilla ice cream.
- Yield: 6 servings
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
6 TBSP unsalted butter
4 lbs. sliced or bite-sized fruit – such as apples, plums, pears, rhubarb and strawberries, or mixed berries
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 TBSP all-purpose flour
The zest and juice of one lemon (about 2 TBSP juice)
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-inch piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated
1/2 tsp salt
1 package frozen puff pastry thawed, cut into roughly 3/4-inch strips
Granulated or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling the pan often, until it has fully melted, has turned a golden brown color, and smells toasty; about 5 minutes. Set this aside for now.
2. In a large bowl, toss the fruit, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and all but 2 Tbsp of the browned butter. Transfer this mixture to a shallow 3-quart baking dish.
3. Twist and tear the puff pastry and lay the pieces in a haphazard manner on top of the fruit filling (as pictured). There’s no real rhyme or reason required here – just create a pastry design that speaks to YOU. Brush the pastry with the leftover brown butter, and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
4. Bake until pastry is puffed and golden around edges, about 25–30 minutes. Lower the temp to 350°F and bake until the juices are thick and bubbling and pastry is brown all over, about 25 to 30 minutes longer.
5. Serve your pandowdy warm with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, if you like.