Summer Brown Sugar Berry Cobbler
Cobblers probably get their name from the method of spoon-dropping the dough over the fruit, which bakes up into a lumpy, cobbled effect of golden-brown, sugar-crusted shortcake. You can use most any type of fruit--berries, pears, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples (which is as good as the best apple pie without all the fussy labor), and tropical fruits like papaya. The layer of fruit is topped with a baking powder batter that is wetter than if you are making biscuits (the same as for a shortcake) and come in a variety of sweetnesses. The dough can be simply dropped on top, spread over, or rolled out into a solid shape and laid on top. After baking, the biscuit shortcake top bakes up fluffy and tender, and is crusty golden brown. This is a dessert that is meant to look homemade. Whatever the topping, never completely cover the fruit layer with the dough; leave enough space around the edge of the pan for the steam to escape and evaporate out of the fruit during baking. The partially covered top will still act as a lid during baking, creating the steam needed to cook the fruit in its own juices. Use a ceramic baking dish, or if you have little 2-cup capacity ceramic or Pyrex glass baking dishes, make individual cobblers that are sure to impress despite their homey nature. Be sure to place the little dishes on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch the drips during baking. Remember that cobblers tend to be juicy, and they are best served warm with a bit of organic heavy cream. The biscuit toppings tend to get soggy as it sits, so cobbler are best eaten within a few hours after baking.
* 3/4 light brown sugar
* 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 3/4 lb mixed berries (strawberries trimmed and halved if using)
* 2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* Rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 3/4 cup whole milk or soy milk
* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar mixed together
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in the middle position.
Stir together 3/4 cup brown sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add berries and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to a shallow 3-qt baking dish and bake until mixture is hot, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add milk and stir until dough just comes together.
*
Remove the hot baking dish from oven and drop 12 mounds of dough onto hot berries. Sprinkle the brown and white sugar over the mounds of dough. Bake cobbler until topping is golden and berries bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to warm, about 30 minutes. Serves 6.
