Apple and Rhubarb Cobbler with Vanilla Sauce

I adapted this recipe from one of my many (too many) cookbooks, the Around The American Table, Treasured Recipes and Food Traditions from the New York Public Library.  It was published in 1995 and has tons of great recipes.

This is a nice comfort-food dessert to serve on a crisp fall evening. Rhubarb is still around and apples are of course, aplenty.

Try not to overcook the rhubarb (like I often do) as it becomes real mushy. Any apple variety will work in this recipe.

The vanilla sauce is a nice change from vanilla ice cream.

Apple and Rhubarb Cobbler with Vanilla Sauce

Serves 6

About 4 cups of diced rhubarb (cleaned well, ends trimmed, and cut into about 1 inch pieces)

2 apples, cored, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup sugar

3 T water

1 tsp. lemon juice

few grates of lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

dash of cinnamon and nutmeg or allspice

3 T cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg

6 T milk

Combine the rhubarb, apple, sugar and water in a medium saucepan and cook on low to medium heat for about 5-10 minutes until rhubarb is just soft and the mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and zest. Pour this mixture into an oven-proof round or oval baking dish.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a medium bowl. Add the butter and with your fingers, break it up into the flour mixture until there are no more large pieces of butter. You can use a pastry blender if desired.

Stir together the egg and the milk with a fork. Add this to the flour mixture and stir with the fork until just combined. Don't over mix.

Using two large spoons, dole out the batter into six large mounds spaced evenly over the rhubarb/apple mixture.

Bake in a 400 degree oven on the middle rack (place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch drips) for about 20-30 minutes until crust turns a light brown and the cobbler is bubbling.

Serve in individual bowls with the vanilla sauce.

Vanilla Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream until light and foamy. Add the sugar and continue beating. Add the vanilla and beat until desired consistency.