Classic Apple Cobbler

Filling:

• 5 pounds apples, tart and sweet
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• ½ cup cold butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Peel, slice apples (⅛-inch-thick). Place lemon zest, juice and apples into large covered stockpot, set over medium heat. Sprinkle sugars, flour, spices, salt over apples and mix well but gently. Cook about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until apples are desired texture. (They will not soften more in the oven.)

Remove apples from heat, stir in vanilla. Scrape filling into 9x13 dish, set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Blend dry ingredients for topping in large bowl. Whisk buttermilk and egg separately, pour onto dry ingredients.

Using a pastry blender, cut liquid into the flour mixture until a rough dough forms. Drop evenly on top of apple filling. Cut butter into ½-inch cubes, dot across topping. Sprinkle sugar over all.

Bake 45-55 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cool 15-30 minutes before serving.