Peach Blueberry Cobbler

 

Last night we had friends over for dinner, which was a good excuse to make a yummy dessert!  I've made this once each of the last 3 summers- and each time I wonder why I don't make it more often!  It is a great use for all the good summer produce around here!  The original recipe calls for just blueberries, but I like to mix it up with a little bit of peaches, as well.  I like that it provides some contrast.

Parts of the recipe can be made ahead of time.  I made the fruit mixture and put it in a dish (below), and mixed up the wet and the dry ingredients in separate bowls.  All I had to do when our company was here was put the fruit in the oven, bake for a little bit, mix the wet & dry ingredients, top with the biscuits, and bake.  It took less than 5 minutes of my time.

Also, I have made a half-sized batch of this before.  Don't let the size of the recipe keep you from making it! :)

Enjoy!!

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

Printable version here

FILLING

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

Pinch ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

4 cups (18 oz.) fresh blueberries, rinsed

2 peaches, peeled & cut into chunks

1 tbsp. lemon juice

BISCUIT TOPPING

1 cup flour

2 tbsp. cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

Cinnamon/sugar mixture for sprinkling on top

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375º. 

2. For the filling: Stir the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the berries, peaches, and lemon juice and mix gently with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Transfer the fruit mixture to a 9-inch glass pie plate (or similar sized dish), place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until the filling is hot and bubbling around the edges, about 25 minutes. 

3. For the biscuit topping: Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl to combine. Whisk the melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a small bowl. One minute before the berries come out of the oven, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; stir with a rubber spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain. 

4. To assemble and bake the cobbler: Remove the fruit from the oven; increase the oven temperature to 425º. Pinch off 8-10 equal pieces of biscuit dough and place them on the hot berry filling, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound of dough with cinnamon sugar. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool the cobbler on a wire rack 20 minutes and serve.

Serves: 6-8

Adapted from: Baking Illustrated

(This website has the directions for how to make this using frozen blueberries.)

Why I love it? This recipe just screams SUMMER to me!  It's a great way to use up, and enjoy, all the fresh produce we're blessed with at this time of year.  As much as I love the fruit filling, the part of this recipe I find the most unique is the topping.  As usual, Cook's Illustrated has figured out how to make the perfect biscuit- it's completely cooked through, soft on the inside, and crisp on the outside.  Every recipe I have made from this book has been amazing!