Autumn Apple Cobbler with Rosemary Lemon Biscuits

All last week I was daydreaming about what possible apple dessert I could make on the weekend.  I had bought a variety of Minnesota grown apples and was just enjoying them unadorned but what really sounded heavenly was some sort of warm apple dessert served a la mode with cool ice cream.  Come Saturday, pie was what I really wanted, but I just didn't have time to fuss with a crust and the long baking time a full sized double crust pie requires to cook the apples.  So, a cobbler it was!  I will admit, I have never made an apple cobbler before, usually peach or berry, but I was certain it would be delicious!  I used Haralson apples, because my Mom always used them when I was a kid, claiming they made the most delicious pies.  I scented the filling with cinnamon and nutmeg plus a bit of lemon for tartness to balance out the sweet apples and maple sugar. 

The biscuit topping I used is actually my scone dough, it is so light and just the right amount of crispness on the top so it doesn't get soggy when served with ice cream.  It was to be scented as well, but with rosemary and lemon because I love the combination of the two in the fall, especially with apples. Rosemary has such a lovely comforting aroma, and I knew it would smell wonderful in the cobbler. 

I actually divided the cobbler into two separate bowls because I knew I would be sharing it with my boyfriend Scott later that night.  It filled my kitchen with the most wonderful scent while baking like an apple pie crossed with sweet rosemary lemon bread.  It was tough to wait until that night to taste it, but it was well worth the wait to enjoy it with Scott. 

I served it with some toasted pecan maple ice cream I had made earlier in the week, because warm desserts deserve a scoop of something cool and creamy.  It was wonderful! 

http://fragrantvanillacake.blogspot.com/2011/09/toasted-pecan-maple-ice-cream.html

Sweet tart jammy apples lightly spiced and topped with a crisp scone with the aroma of rosemary and lemon...simply heavenly!  Scott enjoyed it as well, although I was a bit piggier with mine finishing it all in one sitting with multiple scoops of ice cream.  I cannot think of a better way to spend a Saturday evening than with someone I love and a delicious homey dessert!  If you wish to enjoy it as well, I have included the recipe and I would highly reccomend you try it!

Autumn Apple Cobbler with Rosemary Lemon Biscuits

Serves 2 generously

Fruit:

6 medium organic apples (I used haralson), cut into bite sized pieces

1/3 cup maple sugar or brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp lemon zest

juice of one lemon

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

biscuit topping:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup maple sugar, or granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

4 Tbsp cold Earth Balance vegan butter, cut into chunks

1/2 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves

turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Two 5 or 6 inch wide ovenproof bowls or pie plates

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Spray two 5 or 6 inch wide pie plates or bowls with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple sugar, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon into prepared bowls or pie plates, and cover with foil. Place plates on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.

Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla and lemon juice and zest into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Fold in rosemary until evenly distributed. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall circle.

Remove baking fruit from oven. Cut small hearts out of the dough using a cookie cutter, and place on top of the cobblers.  When all biscuits are on top of cobblers, sprinkle with turbinado sugar and return to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes

until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some ice cream...enjoy!