I’ve become obsessed with these apple and elderflower gummies from Candy Kittens that are shaped like cats (update as of March 2016 they don’t make this flavor anymore but everything else they make is amazing!). They are delicious and juicy, but slightly too expensive and the bag is slightly too big for me to be eating on my own. Regardless, they are delicious and I’ve been eating a ton. I’ve become so enamored with this flavor combination that I had to see what else was out there that I could make at home.
The choices seemed to be either drinks or desserts. I’ve been making a lot o beverages recently and I have a crazy sweet tooth so I chose dessert. I decide to throw in strawberries too after Tesco made a substitution in my grocery delivery and gave me a large container of strawberries than I had order. It was perfection, and the apples, strawberry and elderflower cobbler was born. It might not be beautiful to look at, but it’s so darn good.
I wasn’t familiar with elderflower before I moved here, but it’s a flavor I see on drink menus at restaurants and in the juice or tea aisles of the super market. Specifically, what’s being used is elderflower cordial, which is made from the elderberry. This plant is native to Europe and parts of northwest Africa and southwest Asia. So, since it’s not from the Americas it might be why I’m not familiar with it. Anyway, the cordial is made from the flowers of the elderberry, water, sugar, and a bit of lemon. It’s sweet and just a bit tart and floral. All in all, it’s very nice.
Something else I wasn’t so familiar with before I moved here is cordial. Also called squash. Basically it’s concentrated syrup – usually fruit juice though sometimes herbal or floral. It’s everywhere here and you buy squash/cordial and then dilute it with water. I like it because then I feel like I’m getting more beverage for my money because one bottle of squash is about the size of one bottle of juice. The closest thing I ever had to it in the U.S., was when I was a kid we sometimes had frozen juice concentrate and I always liked to make pink lemonade. But I digress.
The cordial is lovely and as it simmers together with the apples and strawberries it is delightfully sweet and bright. Apple pie is my absolute favorite food, but this version is like summer time apple pie. I like the addition of strawberries because it makes everything a gorgeous blush pink. The strawberries then lose their color a bit, but it’s ok because it makes the juice have a jammy flavor. I was worried that this is a little too liquidy and juicy – and maybe it is as I haven’t made cobbler before – but I like it because it helps moisten the biscuit on top. Everything becomes appropriately soft and chewy.
The vanilla cream on top is also really gorgeous. I was tempted to forgo making it, but it’s worth it. I’ve never used a vanilla pod before and the flavor the comes through is the most luscious vanilla I’ve ever tasted. It’s better than store bought, better than extract. It was so good, I’m tempted to try and make my own extract. Finally one of the ingredients is for a cheese! I thought it would be so weird but the flavor is mild and once it cooks it’s just creamy. Don’t ever let cheese throw you off because it only makes things better.
Adapted from BBC Food Recipes
Messy level: I am sure a person can do this and not make a gigantic mess, but that person isn’t me. Basically you’re making three small recipes for this one whole recipe – which means lots of dishes and lots of spills and mess.
- 5 medium Pink Lady apples, peeled and cut into wedges
- 2 cups quartered strawberries
- 1 cup elderflower cordial
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons demerara sugar
- 100g/3½oz/7 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- less than ½ cup crumbled wensleydale cheese
- 1¼ cup milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup double cream
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
- In a large sauce pan, mix together the apples, cordial and sugar. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer cook for 4 minutes. Then add the strawberries and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the apples and strawberries are just beginning to soften, but are still holding their shape.
- Pour the apple-strawberry mixture into an oven proof dish. I used one that is 10x10".
- Now start on the topping. Place the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and butter into a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the buttermilk to the food processor. Pulse the mixture, until it comes together as a thick batter/dough.
- Spoon the batter over the apple-strawberry mixture. I used my fingers to spread it evenly, but you can leave gaps if you'd like the fruit to bubble through.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dough.
- Transfer to the oven to bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is a bit puffed and golden.
- While the cobbler is baking, start on the custard. In a medium saucepan, place the milk, vanilla pod, and seeds. Heat to scalding point (when it's starting to show steam and is just about to boil). Remove from the heat and set aside for two minutes. This is to infuse the vanilla flavor.
- Place the eggs and sugar into a clean bowl and whisk together to make a thick paste.
- Gradually pour the vanilla milk onto the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Once it's all mixed return the custard to the saucepan. Place the pan over a low heat. Simmer and stir until the custard thickens.
- Once it's thick stir in the cream.
- Spoon cobbler into bowls and then pour cream over the top.
