Created by Derf on November 10, 2011
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Peel, core and cube apples. Melt the first amount of butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add the cubed apples and the next 4 ingredients; bring to boil, simmer gently for 10 minutes or until apples soften. Make a slurry with the cold water and cornstarch; pour slowly into apple mixture while constantly stirring; cook stirring until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and place in a casserole dish; set aside.
Step 2: Place flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl, stir with a whisk to combine. Grate frozen butter into flour mixture, combine with a pastry cutter or 2 knives until the mixture is the size of peas. Add the vanilla to the milk; add only enough to the flour mixture to bring it together, set the remainder aside.
Step 3: Turn the combined mixture out onto a lightly floured cold surface; knead 3 or 4 times to make a pliable ball. (at this point if you have time, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or carry on rolling it out.) Roll biscuit mix to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut out 6 rounds. Place the biscuits on top of the apple mixture in the casserole, (I fitted in the cutting bits to use it up). Brush the remainder of the milk/vanilla mixture over the top of the biscuits.
Step 4: Place the casserole on the middle rack in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until biscuits are golden and the the apple mixture is bubbleing up around them.