Brandied pumpkin & quince cobbler

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

2 c Quince (about 1 lg quince)
2 lb Sugar pumpkin
1/4 c Brandy
1/2 c Orange juice
1/4 c Granulated sugar
1/4 c Light brown sugar
1/2 c Currants
1/2 ts Salt MMMMM---------------------------DOUGH--------------------------------
1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
4 ts Sugar
2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
4 tb Unsalted butter
3/4 c Buttermilk MMMMM---------------------------SYRUP--------------------------------
2 tb Unsalted butter
2 tb Maple syrup
2 tb Pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and coarsely grate the quince. Peel seed and cut into 1-inch dice the pumpkin to yield 3 cups. Toast and coarsely chop the pecans. Combine the quince Pumpkin brandy orange juice white and brown sugars the currants and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart baking dish; let cool. The dough: Combine the flour salt sugar baking powder and soda in a food processor. Pulse a couple of times to combine. Drop in the butter and pulse 4 to 5 times. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse just until combined. (The mixture should be moist but not wet.) Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat out to a 1-inch thickness. Cut into squares or triangles and place in an almost scattered manner over the cooled fruit mixture leaving spaces between the pieces for steam to escape. The syrup: Combine the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the butter melts. Pour over the cobbler. Place the pan on a cookie sheet (to catch run-overs) and bake for 30 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling and the dough has risen and is golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Pass a bowl of whipped cream at the table if desired. Serves 8. Source: The San Francisco Chronicle November 22 1995