Peach Cobbler

Cobbler is one of those classic southern favorites--fresh, sweet, and full of flavor.  It's not something I enjoy often enough, but what better time than summer to try my own homemade version?

Cobbler has a dumpling topping, and is different from a pie or a crisp because the topping is thicker and more bread-like.  I was initially torn between a crisp and a cobbler, but once I got to looking up recipes the choice was easy. 

I tracked down a recipe to follow for the basics, then switched all the sugar to brown and used tapioca as a thickener.

First things first: the peaches.  I chose to use fresh peaches for the recipe, since I got a great deal at the grocery and prefer fresh fruits when I can get them.  I learned later from my chef friend that canned fruits work great in a cobbler, thanks to the extra liquid in the can.  For me, fresh was the best choice.

I sliced up the fresh peaches, tossing them into a large bowl as I went.  I used about 8 ripe peaches total.

I mixed in some brown sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, tapioca, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then added the mixture to a large glass casserole dish. I placed this in the oven for a few minutes to cook the peaches.  This was my first time using tapioca, per the advice of my far more kitchen experienced friend, because it thickens the sauce without altering the flavor.

Next, I got started on the topping.  In a smaller bowl, I mixed the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together, then added in some butter that I had chopped into smaller pieces.  I used my finger tips to blend the mixture, similar to how I made a pie crust, until I ended up with very small chunks of butter coated in the dry ingredients. The end result was a sandy consistency.

To finish off the topping, I mixed in the water and stirred it together to create a thick dough.

I removed the peaches from the oven and spooned the topping over it.

Then, I sprinkled it all with some cinnamon and sugar.

I baked the cobbler for 30 minutes, until the top was slightly crispy.  It smelled SO GOOD!

I let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving, and then scooped out a piece to enjoy.

This was so good!  The peaches were not too sweet and the topping was just like a cookie.  I couldn't even pick up on the tapioca with the peaches.  This made a large amount of cobbler, so I shared this out with a couple of friends who all said it was amazing.  If you're going to eat a sweet dessert, why not have some fresh fruit in there?  I'm so glad I got to get some time in the kitchen to play with fresh peaches and try out tapioca for the first time.  Learning is delicious!

Peach Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients:

8 peaches
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons tapioca
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

For the topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup hot water
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Slice pieces into thin wedges. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Mix well to coat peaches, then pour into casserole and bake for about 10 minutes, while making the topping. For the topping, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips until the mixture is a sandy consistency. Stir in water until just combined. Remove peaches from oven.  Use a spoon to scoop the topping mixture over the dish, then sprinkle cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is crisp, about 30 minutes.