Bon Appetit Desserts (114 page)

Classic Peach Cobbler

The ultimate down-home summer dessert is wonderfully simple to make. The peaches don’t need to be peeled and the filling is mixed right in the baking dish. The biscuit topping can be prepared in just a few minutes without any special equipment.
8 servings

4 pounds peaches, halved, pitted, cut into wedges

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour

6 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 tablespoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

¼ cup chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled buttermilk

1 large egg, beaten to blend

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla ice cream

FILLING
: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Mix all ingredients in 13×9×2-inch glass baking dish. Bake 15 minutes (juices will be hot but not bubbling).

TOPPING
: Meanwhile, mix flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and vanilla in 2-cup glass measuring cup to blend. Add to flour mixture and stir until soft dough forms.

Remove fruit from oven. Spoon dough over hot filling in 12 mounds, spacing evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake until juices thicken and topping is golden, about 40 minutes. Cool on rack at least 15 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Individual Plum Cobblers with Hazelnut Topping

This recipe gives everyone his or her own mini cobbler, though you could also make one large cobbler in an 8-inch-square baking dish.
Makes 8

2 to 2¼ pounds red-skinned plums, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 wedges

⅔ cup sugar

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, chopped

½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon sugar

Vanilla ice cream

FILLING
: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter eight ⅔-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Combine plums, sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon in large bowl; toss to blend. Let stand 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Divide among prepared dishes (dishes will be full). Place on rimmed baking sheet. Dot fruit with butter. Bake until plums are tender and fruit bubbles thickly, about 45 minutes. Cool in dishes.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

TOPPING
: Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in nuts. Gradually add cream, stirring with fork until batter holds together.

Drop large spoonful of batter atop fruit in each dish, dividing equally. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until biscuit topping is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm topped with ice cream.

Peach, Plum, and Blackberry Cobbler

Classic, homey cobblers feature biscuits baked right on top of the fruit. This one—bursting with summer fruits and topped with warm, tender biscuits and a spiced streusel—would be a great addition to a picnic or barbecue. Quick-cooking tapioca thickens the fruit juices in the cobbler to form a glossy sauce (it works well in pies and crisps, too); it’s found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. Don’t use regular tapioca pearls, which are much larger and won’t soften and dissolve properly. For tips on peeling peaches, see page 35.
6 servings

6 peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, sliced

2 red plums, halved, pitted, sliced

1 ½-pint container fresh blackberries or 1½ cups frozen blackberries (do not thaw)

⅔ cup sugar

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

6 tablespoons chilled heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of ground cloves

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

Sweetened whipped cream

FILLING
: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place peaches, plums, blackberries, sugar, and tapioca in 8×8×2-inch glass baking dish; toss to coat. Bake until fruit is tender and juices are bubbling thickly, about 50 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

BISCUITS
: Meanwhile, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add lemon peel and butter; using fingertips, rub in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream; stir until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Using floured hands, pat out dough on floured surface to 6-inch square; cut into 6 equal rectangles.

TOPPING
: Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in small bowl. Add butter; using fingertips, rub in until moist clumps form.

Place dough rectangles atop hot cobbler. Sprinkle topping over. Bake until biscuits are golden, about 25 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.

Cherry-Lime Cobbler with Vanilla-Crème Fraîche Biscuits

In this cobbler, the biscuits are baked separately and placed on the filling just before serving. You can also split the biscuits as you would shortcakes and top the biscuit halves with the filling.
6 servings

½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

4 teaspoons cornstarch Pinch of salt

½ cup water

6 cups whole pitted Bing cherries or other dark sweet cherries (from about 2¾ pounds unpitted cherries)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¾ teaspoon finely grated lime peel

1¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

1½ teaspoons vanilla paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon finely grated lime peel

Milk

FILLING
: Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Whisk brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in large ovenproof skillet. Add ½ cup water and stir over medium heat until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Add cherries; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, scraping sides of skillet and stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice and lime peel.