Season Fruit : Basic Cobbler Recipe

One way to use up extra fruit is with cobblers. Fortunately, stone fruits and berries bake very well. These are perfect for a dessert with family, for a picnic, and even for hosting a summer dinner party.
Cobblers are versatile desserts in that they allow room for creativity. You can use a single fruit like peaches or just mix what you have: plum strawberry or white nectarine and raspberry. You can add spices with the fruit or into the biscuit topping.
They also can be made year round with seasonal fruits. So whether in the winter or the summer, you can make these easy desserts with what is available.

Fruit:

4 cups of peaches, cut into large chunks
1 cup of blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp of cinnamon


Biscuit dough:

1 1/2 cups AP Flour
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup of whole milk
coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Mix the fruit, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
For the biscuit dough, sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. With a two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until pea-sized. Pour in liquids, and mix until the dough becomes a sticky mass. (Or, take advantage of the food processor if you have one big enough to make the dough.) Do not overmix.

Butter a 2 quart baking dish or a 8 X 8 inch casserole dish. Place the fruit mixture inside casserole dish. Take spoonfuls of cobbler dough and drop randomly over the fruit. (The dough will not completely cover the fruit.) Sprinkle with coarse or turbinado sugar. Bake at 375 F for 50 minutes to an hour or until fruit is tender when poked in the center. Cool for 20 minutes.

Option:

Bake in individial ramekins. Take 6 to 8 ramekins and generously portion the fruit, top with the biscuit dough and bake at 375 F for 30 or 40 minutes.