Apple Cobbler with Ginger-Orange Crust

Combine dry ingredients

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl.

Cook apples

In large sauce pan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Stir in sliced apples, lemon juice, and sugar mixture. Cover partially and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

Add vanilla and cool

Stir in vanilla extract and let cool down, then transfer to buttered 1 1/2 quart pie dish.

Mix dry ingredients

In bowl mix 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Cut in butter

With pastry blender or fingertips, cut in 2 tablespoons cubed butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped crystallized ginger.

Add cream mixture

Combine heavy cream and orange zest. Stir cream-zest mixture into flour mixture, just until it holds together.

Form dough

Flour your hands and a surface and roll dough into a ball. Knead briefly until soft.

Roll and top

Roll dough out a little larger than pie dish. Lay over dish, trim excess, and cut small hole in center for steam to escape.

Bake at high heat

Bake 10 minutes at 425°F.

Reduce and finish

Reduce temperature to 375°F and bake for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Cool

Cool on rack. Serve warm.