Dairy-Free Cranberry Apple Cobbler Recipe

Cranberries and apples are to November what tomatoes and strawberries are to summer. Bright, sweet and rich in nutrients, it is always seasonal simplicities like these that add so much to a bowl of oatmeal or granola in the morning or a simple rustic loaf of bread. This Dairy-Free Cranberry Apple Cobbler, for instance, is one of the simplest cobbler recipes to make, but it's made exciting and flavorful by the combination of apples, cranberries, spices and orange peel--all things that, on their own are wonderful but together creates a memorable ending to an autumn meal.

And, of course, it's a dairy-free and vegan recipe, so everyone can celebrate the season!

I'm often asked what it is that gives my cobblers that classic melt-in-your-mouth texture as I don't use butter, and really, it's all about the preparation; the best cobbler toppings are prepared in a way similar to biscuits--by keeping your ingredients as cold as possible and handling them as little as possible. If you have time, mix your dry ingredients together and place the bowl in the fridge about 30 minutes before you're ready to make your topping. Then, use a food processor to cut in the butter (this cuts down on how much you handle the topping), add the soy milk, and process only until it holds together and pulls away from the sides. Again, it's one of the simplest desserts to make, but a dish's success is dependent on two things always: the quality of your ingredients and the care you take in their preparation. In my experience, making desserts is all about little things and the simplest flavors that makes the memories.

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.