Recipe: Peach And Blueberry Cobbler
Summer doesn’t get much better.
This cobbler is an of-the-moment recipe. Peaches are ripe, the blueberries plump, you don’t need a mixer, just a whisk and a bowl. Some butter, some milk, a little flour, a bit of sugar and an egg. Baked in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. You could probably use a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, but it’s so much better done in a skillet.
The recipe was inspired by a Facebook demo given by my friend, April McGreger. She hails from Mississippi, but now resides in Philadelphia. She shared all sorts of fabulous variations including a savory one with stewed tomatoes and cornmeal. She dubbed cobbler “The Queen of Southern Desserts.”
This is my more northern version. I used less sugar and I added an egg which made the cake more tender. There’s absolutely no need to peel the peaches; their fuzzy skins soften as they bake. Cut them into wedges and that’s it.
April’s brilliant idea was to brown the butter, adding a toasty note. I don’t let it get much past light brown, and once it starts to brown, watch it carefully. Have the batter mixed and the fruit ready. Then carefully pour the batter into the skillet while it’s still piping hot. This will crisp up the edges. Do not stir together the batter and butter. As the cobbler bakes, everything comes together, like magic.
Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled off
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ½-inch slices firm-ripe unpeeled peaches (3 or 4 medium peaches)
1 cup blueberries
Spiced sugar topping: 1 tablespoon granulated sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and nutmeg and a pinch of allspice
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Put the stick of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet that’s 2 inches deep. Place the skillet in the oven and melt the butter until golden brown, 13 to 16 minutes, watching carefully after about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Measure the milk in a glass measure, break in the egg, add the vanilla and beat with a fork until blended. Pour into the flour mixture and whisk smooth. Pour the batter into the hot butter in the skillet. Do not stir; the butter may rise to the top, which is not a problem.
4. Arrange some of the peaches on the batter in a tight circle around the inside of the pan and pile the rest in the center. Scatter the blueberries on top. Sprinkle with the spiced sugar topping.
5. Bake the cobbler until golden, the fruit is tender and bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
6. Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature, maybe with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If there are leftovers, remove them from the skillet to a plate.
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