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Treat yourself with some cobbler

I figured it’s the appropriate time of year to make a cobbler. In fact, I think it’s only because my sweetie now does the shopping for us that I haven’t stopped to stare at the summer produce and be reminded sooner.

Peach and blackberry cobbler ingredients.

Since I didn’t grow up with a family cobbler recipe—our desserts tended to be store-bought cookies—every time I make it, I go searching for anything that strikes my fancy. This time, I happened to be going through Taste of Home when I came across a recipe from an Iowan. (Yay!)

I was intrigued but was ultimately won over when the recipe included my two favorite summer fruits: peaches and blackberries (it was actually a berry mix but blackberries were listed first, and honestly, I just made it with blackberries).

Plus, it had cardamom, and I almost never have excuses to use this most exciting of spices.

I may have overdone it by adding a full 1 t. of cardamom when the recipe called for just ¼ t., but I *really* like it, so I didn’t mind and my sweetie has been enjoying bowlfuls for breakfast (don’t judge!) alongside me without complaint. My other adaptation was using lemon zest in place of orange zest in the topping, and that worked well for my tastes as well.

I also went ahead and used my Le Creuset that measures 9 in. not 10 in., as the recipe called for. It all fit like a charm, though the liquid did bubble over a little in the oven and we got the delightful aroma of burnt sugar. Not the worst deal but perhaps a 10 in. skillet is the wiser course.

There’s fruit underneath all that, I promise!

Here’s what I did, adapting slightly:

Ingredients

For the fruit mix

  • ½ c. sugar
  • 3 T. cornstarch
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ to 1 t. ground cardamom, to taste
  • 6 c. peaches (6 to 8 peaches), sliced
  • 2 c. blackberries (about 12 oz./two small containers)
  • Juice from ½ lemon

For the topping

  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c. sugar
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • ¾ t. baking powder
  • ¼ t. salt
  • ¼ t. baking soda
  • 3 T. cold butter
  • ¾ c. buttermilk
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving, optional

Directions 

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Add the peaches, blackberries, and lemon juice. Toss to combine, and then transfer to a 9- to 10-inch cast iron skillet (10-inch probably preferred).

In a medium bowl, bring together the first six topping ingredients (flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, salt, and baking soda). Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk, and stir until just moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the fruit mixture.

Bake uncovered until topping is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!

 

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It’s summer, time for fruit cobbler

As soon as summer hits, it’s only a matter of time before I start buying up berries (and also often peaches). As much as I love vegetables, I’m not overly fond of fruit. Sure, I like it OK, but most fruit items in my cupboard or refrigerator are as likely to go bad as I am to eat them before they rot.

But I have my favorites.

I love on-sale cherries, too-hard white peaches, and berries in the summertime.

So, I couldn’t help but buy up blackberries when they were on sale and make it into a Dutch oven cobbler.

Blackberry cobbler ingredients.

I consulted no fewer than three recipes to come up with my perfect summer dessert, but none of them were exactly what I was looking for. My sweetie suggested blackberries among the berries, and none of the recipes quite worked. Most were, of course, for peach cobblers, which called for cinnamon and often nutmeg. Betty Crocker wisely suggested skipping that step (hers only called for cinnamon) if one were making blueberry cobbler. I felt the same should be true of blackberries.

But I also thought it needed a little something more. Maybe true, maybe not, but I have to say I quite liked my ultimate addition: a small sprinkling of ground ginger.

I admit this cobbler won’t be for everyone. I skimped on the sweet, leaned into the tartness, and added the spice. But my sweetie and I devoured the whole thing with glee and in record time for us two savory-food lovers. It was a real treat.

*drool*

Here’s what I did:

Ingredients

  • 8 T. (1 stick) butter, divided
  • 4 pints (about 5 c.) blackberries
  • 6 T. sugar, divided
  • 1 T. lemon juice
  • 2 t. cornstarch
  • 1 t. salt, divided
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1 c. flour
  • 2 t. baking powder
  • ½ to ¾ c. buttermilk

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

On the stovetop, melt 4 T. butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the blackberries, 2 T. sugar, ½ t. salt, and the ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl or large measuring cup. Once the blackberries have started to break down, add the cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Turn off or remove from heat.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, 2 T. sugar, and remaining ½ t. salt. Cut in the remaining 4 T. of butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives or your fingers, until small chickpea-sized chunks form. Add ½ c. buttermilk and stir with a fork until combined to form a wet shaggy dough, adding more buttermilk as necessary.

Drop spoonfuls of the dough on top of the blackberry mixture (it’s OK if some open spots show through). Sprinkle the remaining 2 T. on top of the mixture, and carefully place the Dutch oven, uncovered, in the oven. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, until the cobbler on top is lightly golden brown. Remove from oven, let mostly cool, and enjoy (a la mode, if desired)!