Late summer is the best time for baked fruit desserts like cobblers and crisps, but one of my favourites is the lesser-known pandowdy – sort of a cross between a crisp and a pie, with a pastry lid on top, but none underneath. It’s infinitely easier to assemble than pie, with no need to stress over removing a clean slice, and let’s face it – the golden top is the best part of the pastry anyway. Best yet, you can streamline the process by using frozen puff.

I made a video earlier this summer as part of the Redpath Baking School summer session.

This time of year is great for stone fruit-the last of the peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums… cherries from the tree or freezer, the last stalks of rhubarb. They all go well together- feel free to mix and match whatever you find at the farmers’ market—juicy stone fruit, rhubarb, and berries all go well together, and Redpath’s Golden Yellow or Demerara sugars add a caramelly sweetness. Spoon it up and serve it warm with ice cream, or cold for breakfast, with plain or vanilla yogurt.

Rhubarb + Stone Fruit Pandowdy

AuthorJulie

Yields1 Serving

5-6 cups chopped, pitted fruit, such as peaches, plums, apricots, cherries and rhubarb

1/2 cup Redpath Golden Yellow or Demerara Sugar, or to taste

1-2 Tbsp cornstarch (use more for juicier fruit, like plums and berries)

Topping:

1/2 pkg thawed puff pastry, or pastry for a single crust pie

cream or beaten egg, for brushing

Redpath Demerara sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spread your fruit into a deep-dish pie plate or similar-sized baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch and sprinkle overtop. Gently toss to combine.

Roll the pastry out about 1/8-inch thick and cut or tear into pieces an inch or two long and half as wide and scatter, haphazardly and overlapping, over the fruit. Brush with beaten egg or cream, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until the fruit is soft and bubbling and the topping is golden and crunchy. Serve warm, with ice cream. Serves 6.

Categorydessert, pie

Ingredients