As I mentioned, it is not Thanksgiving unless there are multiple desserts. In addition to the Traditional Pumpkin and Pecan Pies, try adding this Apple Cobbler to your slew of desserts this Thanksgiving. The mixture of baking apples and fresh cranberries with cinnamon, orange zest and nutmeg will make your house smell like The Holidays. The New England version of a “cobbler” is pieces of pie dough that are torn and layered on the top of a fruit mixture – when cooked, it looks like a cobbled street.
I decided to take a new twist on this version of a cobbler and decided to use cutouts of leaves as my top, so it will look like a pile of leaves. Besides being so very, very simple (I even used store-bought pie dough), it looks extra festive for Fall. The filling is same filling I used on my Apple Cranberry Crisp, but I used fresh cranberries as they are in season. They add a fabulous tartness to the pie that makes it really extra special. Leaf Topped Apple & Cranberry Cobbler Orange Zest, Cinnamon & Nutmeg Apple Cranberry Filling : 10 apples (4 pounds), cored and peeled 3/4 cup of dried cranberries 2 teaspoons of orange zest 4 tablespoons of orange juice 1/2 cup of sugar 1/2 cup of flour 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg …… 1 store-bought or homemade pie dough egg 1/4 cup of sugar Cut the peeled and cored apples to large cubes, about 3/4 inch pieces. Place them in a large bowl. Add cranberries, zest, orange juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss together with a big spoon until all of the fruit is well coated. Pour the fruit into a casserole dish or deep baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, covered with foil. After baking for 30 minutes, cut out leaves using a cookie cutter. Place them on top of the half baked apples in a scattered fashion. Beat the egg in a small bowl, then brush it on the top. Sprinkle the sugar over the dough. Bake for 30 more minutes