Feeling Blue: Blueberries and Cream Cobbler

A few weeks ago, dessert just had to be blueberry cobbler—it just had to be. The thing was, I really wanted a biscuit-dough crust, but didn't want to go to the [not really all that much] extra effort. Yet I still wanted to infuse the cobbler with some added richness, to make something a bit more decadent than normal. Then I had an idea—I would make my usual cobbler recipe, using heavy cream in place of the milk. The result was not all that different in consistency, but still had a very special quality of its own. I would definitely make it again, and encourage you to make it, too!

Blueberries and Cream Cobbler

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
2 pints fresh blueberries, washed and spread out on a towel to dry (it's okay if some moisture remains)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and add blueberries in an even-ish layer on the bottom. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt until combined, breaking up any lumps as you go. Add heavy cream and mix until smooth and no dry pockets are left (the batter will be fairly thick). Dollop large spoonfuls on top of the blueberries and spread roughly to cover—it won't be perfect, but the batter will smooth out as it heats in the oven. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cobbler is golden, bubbly, and the batter is completely cooked in the center. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: The batter is so rich, you almost (almost) don't need to serve this cobbler with ice cream—but after all, it is dessert ;-) Definitely substitute other fresh berries, stone fruits, or a combination of your favorites for the blueberries. I used vanilla sugar, but simply add a splash of vanilla extract to your batter if using regular sugar.

>o<

Just Peachy: Summer Fruit Cobbler

Sometimes Summer's bounty is more robust than you can comfortably manage—that basket of peaches is starting to languish on the counter, berries are starting to shrivel in the fridge, and maybe even a fruit fly (or 20) are starting to eye your goods. Fret not: you can always convert these stragglers into something wonderful!

Summer Fruit Cobbler

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk
About 2 cups fresh fruit, sliced or chopped (any soft fruit like peaches, nectarines, or berries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Add milk and mix until smooth (the batter will be quite thin). Scrape into prepared pan, top evenly with fruit, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cobbler is deeply golden all around the edges and the batter is completely cooked in the center. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: Don't worry too much about the precise quantity of fruit—I happened to have just three wrinkly peaches when I made this cobbler, and it was delicious. You can certainly use more than one type of fruit, too. Definitely serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired!

>o<

Not Like the Other Ones: Heirloom Tomato Cobbler with Parmesan Biscuit Crust

This is a great time of year for fruit cobblers, crisps and crumbles. Nothing beats that warm, bubbling fruit, flaky, buttery topping and a creamy scoop of vanilla...

Wait a minute: what if there were something else? Something more savory, some other kind of fruit? It didn't take me long to make the connection, and here's the result!

Heirloom Tomato Cobbler with Parmesan Biscuit Crust

Filling:
2 lbs. heirloom tomatoes (about 5-6 medium)
1/2 teaspoon thyme or oregano (fresh or dried)
Sprinkle of salt

Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup finely shredded or ground parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup whole milk


Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease an 8-inch square or similar capacity baking pan. Core and slice tomatoes into wedges, lining bottom of pan and overlapping as needed. Sprinkle tomatoes with a bit of salt and the thyme/oregano.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cheese, baking powder and salt. Grind in pepper as desired. With a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients until it reaches the texture of coarse crumbs. Add milk and stir together with a fork until just combined. Gently knead the dough against the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any remaining bits (it may seem dry at first). On a floured surface, roll or pat dough out to size and shape needed and place over tomatoes, leaving a bit of margin for juices to bubble up around the edges. Cut a steam vent in the center as well. Bake cobbler for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden and tomatoes are completely soft and juicy. Let cool slightly and serve!

Notes: The crust is adapted from the Basic Cobbler Biscuit Dough in Joy of Cooking (Seventh Edition), for use with traditional sweet fruit cobblers. For this cobbler, try experimenting with different cheeses and herbs to your taste. Instead of fresh tomatoes, use leftover sautéed or grilled veggies for the filling. The raw dough can also be cut into squares or other shapes before placing on the filling for a slightly less "rustic" presentation :-)

>o<