How To Make The Perfect Peach Cobbler – Recipe | Felicity Cloake's How To Make The Perfect …

‘If you spell to a picnic successful nan south,” wrote nan precocious South Carolina cook Emily Meggett, “and there’s nary peach cobbler, someone’s sewage immoderate explaining to do.” Cobblers, a rustic assortment of consequence pastry that seems to person originated successful nan rough-and-ready environs of nan American west, are now principally associated pinch nan US southbound and are, arsenic cook Brad McDonald observes, “unglamorous” yet “rarely neglect to please”.

As befits frontier food, they’re highly adaptable to a assortment of climates and kitchens, too, but, arsenic the southern nutrient professional James Villas erstwhile explained, “no matter really you conception a basking cobbler, nan main rule is that nan filling should ne'er beryllium either soggy aliases dried retired and nan crust must beryllium crisp capable to create a bully counterpoint pinch nan soft fruits aliases berries – not to mention nan obligatory scoop of ice-cream connected top”. Far easier to propulsion disconnected than a pie, but much awesome than a crumble, cobblers are a awesome measurement to usage a bargain tray of overripe aliases bruised fruit, should you beryllium fortunate to travel crossed specified a thing.

The fruit

America’s Test Kitchen peels nan fruit, to region ‘any unpleasantly leathery bits of skin’ from its cobbler. All thumbnail photographs by Felicity Cloake.

Peaches, evidently – but peaches successful nan UK will not usually beryllium arsenic caller arsenic those successful nan American south, which intends we person to set our expectations accordingly. A mates of recipes telephone explicitly for “ripe but firm” fruit, which does not mean those cannonballs sold arsenic ready-to-eat successful galore British retailers; I speak from bitter acquisition erstwhile I guarantee you that a peach that is crunchy erstwhile earthy will still beryllium al dente erstwhile baked. Though not squashy, nan consequence ought to springiness a small nether your fingertips (a bully consequence vendor should beryllium happy to prime immoderate retired for you, though sadly our supermarkets do not connection that service, truthful you’ll person to return it connected spot aliases do immoderate discreet and gentle squeezing).

That said, moreover successful nan south, there’s a delightfully bitchy level of peaches, pinch Villas instructing nan scholar of The Glory of Southern Cooking to “forget astir of what you’ve heard astir Georgia peaches. Yes, Georgia peaches are surely acold superior to nan pulpy, bitter peaches they turn successful California, but wherever I spell for saccharine peach perfection is to nan South Carolina Piedmont region, intersected by Interstate 77 and, much specifically, to nan Peach Tree and different orchards successful and astir Filbert. Peach fanatics from arsenic acold distant arsenic Pennsylvania and Kentucky flock to nan Peach Tree each summertime to spot and smell and sensation nan luscious early belles, achromatic ladies, lorings and amerind reddish clings”. Meanwhile, I caput to nan greengrocers.

Controversially, I will not beryllium peeling nan fruit. Everyone peels nan fruit, I know, because they look to person an aversion to what America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) position “any unpleasantly leathery bits of skin”, but, arsenic pinch apples, tomatoes and moreover potatoes, I hap to for illustration a spot of chew – a skinless peach feels for illustration a tinned peach to me, and though tinned peaches person their spot (a edifice meal buffet), it’s not what I’m aft here. Plus, a ripe peach is simply a symptom to peel. (I tin almost perceive nan southerners murderously murmuring: “Bless her heart”).

The juices

Ripe peaches are a very bedewed fruit, which proves a problem successful recipes specified arsenic nan 1 in McDonald’s book Deep South, wherever they’re utilized earthy – this proves nan first hint to possibly nan astir important instruction I study astir peach cobbler: nan crockery should ever beryllium placed connected a rimmed baking sheet, because if it tin bubble over, you tin stake your bottommost dollar it will. Cutting nan consequence into chunky wedges, arsenic he suggests, alternatively than slices, is simply a bully start; excessively thin, and they person a inclination to dissolve into perfumed mush successful nan oven.

Emily Meggett’s peach cobbler swaps nan apical crust successful favour of a buttery sponge batter.

Like ATK , McDonald uses cornflour to thicken those juices (Edna Lewis prefers plain flour) but, to my mind, much muscular action is required to stem nan tide. While this shouldn’t beryllium a barren dish, equally, excessively overmuch juice will make nan topping soggy. Chef Joe Randall’s look successful nan book he co-authored pinch Toni Tipton-Martin, A Taste of Heritage, marinates his peaches pinch sugar, flour and spices to tie retired nan juices, past simmers them until those juices commencement to thicken – yet pinch likewise liquid results. I’m opening to fishy that ATK’s declare that “most of nan juices are not released until nan peaches are almost afloat cooked” is correct.

My multi-prong solution, for illustration ATK’s, is to drain disconnected immoderate of nan liquid produced by mixing peaches pinch sweetener and leaving them to sit, past to thicken that pinch cornflour and to pre-bake nan consequence earlier adding nan topping, to springiness that liquid much clip to evaporate, arsenic good arsenic to time off capable gaps successful said topping to promote further evaporation.

The flavouring

Everyone uses sugar, naturally, and immoderate successful quantities that are a small excessively overmuch for those not weaned connected saccharine tea. Randall’s acheronian brownish sweetener feels a small excessively treacly for this caller fruit, but I for illustration nan thought of a lighter brownish sweetener pinch peaches – it conscionable feels apt somehow. Almost everyone adds food to their filling – I want to opportunity it’s excessively much, but I’m acrophobic it does thief make nan syrup deliciously rich, truthful omit it astatine your ain risk.

Brad McDonald mixes his peaches pinch raspberries, ‘which, personally, I don’t attraction for erstwhile cooked’.

Lewis, aliases Miss Lewis arsenic she was decently called and is ever referred to successful her book pinch Scott Peacock, The Gift of Southern Cooking, besides adds a pinch of salt, which, for illustration nan citrus juice successful Meggett’s, Randall’s and nan ATK recipes, helps to make nan peaches sensation … peachier somehow. If you hap to person immoderate knocking around, I’d besides highly urge a dash of nan almond principle successful Villas’ look – not truthful overmuch arsenic to make nan filling sensation nutty, but conscionable capable to heighten nan flavour of nan almond’s adjacent cousin, nan peach.

McDonald mixes nan peaches pinch raspberries – which, personally, I don’t attraction for erstwhile cooked (they break down wholly successful nan peach juice, but if you for illustration nan idea, instrumentality a fistful in). She besides adds vanilla and cinnamon, which we each for illustration little than Miss Lewis and Randall’s nutmeg; peaches and sweetener are saccharine enough, aft all, without enhancing that pinch cloyingly saccharine spices. Randall’s crushed cloves beryllium a astonishment hit, but 1 herb feels for illustration rather capable successful a spot wherever peaches hardly turn connected trees.

The topping

I thought I knew what a cobbler was until I started nan investigation for this crockery and recovered myself rolling retired a lovely, delicately crumbly pastry for Randall’s double-crust version. Peacock helpfully explains that “in nan US south, nan word ‘cobbler’ is applied to a big of baked consequence desserts. To Miss Lewis, ‘cobbler’ meant a benignant of deep-dish pastry pinch consequence baked betwixt a bottommost and apical furniture of pastry … to different confederate bakers, a cobbler mightiness person only a apical pastry crust. In Alabama, we called thing a cobbler that had consequence covered by a baked topping.” (He goes connected to reminisce astir “one of nan much unique cobblers of my childhood”, from a section barbecue joint, that progressive “canned peaches covered pinch a container of Duncan Hines Yellow Cake operation – barren – pinch melted food poured complete nan top”.)

Joe Randall’s ‘dark brownish sweetener feels a small excessively treacly for this caller fruit’.

The astir unique cobbler I effort comes from Meggett’s book, Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, co-authored pinch Kayla Stewart and Trelani Michelle, connected nan Lowcountry cuisine of coastal South Carolina, and peculiarly her lifelong home, Edisto Island. Instead of a apical crust, nan crockery is filled pinch a buttery sponge batter topped pinch peaches – it’s light, fluffy and very speedy to make, though, bully arsenic each nan recipes are, I for illustration nan scone-like toppings successful McDonald and nan ATK recipes best; if I’m serving up thing called a cobbler, I don’t want it to consciousness for illustration a pastry aliases an upside-down cake, but thing distinctively different, arsenic good arsenic emphatically American.

Both recipes usage fluffy driblet biscuits, alternatively than nan flakier rolled benignant – for a British audience, these are much for illustration dumplings than rowies/butteries – which makes sense, because they’re amended suited to soaking up juice (and, successful keeping pinch nan tone of nan cobbler, overmuch quicker and easier to make). The method is akin to scones, but uses a wetter dough, moistened pinch McDonald’s tangy buttermilk, which my testers for illustration to nan much neutral but richer yoghurt successful nan ATK recipe. But we each work together immoderate raising supplier is required; an unleavened dough, though tasty, does person inclination to beryllium dense arsenic a chromatic upon nan fruit. Adding it to a filling that’s already basking helps it to navigator done successful time, and though nan biscuit itself shouldn’t beryllium excessively sweet, successful opposition to what lies beneath, a last topping of granulated sweetener adds a delightful crunch.

The accompaniments

Edna Lewis served her peach cobbler pinch ‘an unusual’ (but very tasty) nutmeg syrup.

Miss Lewis served her peach cobbler pinch “an unusual” (but very tasty) nutmeg syrup, but much communal pairings are vanilla ice-cream (McDonald and Randall), whipped pick (ATK) and even, non-canonically, creme fraiche aliases yoghurt. But ice-cream is, successful my opinion, nan American dream.

(Note that this is bully served lukewarm arsenic good arsenic good arsenic hot, but not chilled, because that makes nan topping move a small doughy. You could marinate nan peaches successful advance, but don’t make nan biscuit mixed until conscionable earlier baking.)

Perfect peach cobbler

Prep 10 min
Marinate 30 min+
Cook 45 min+
Rest 15 min
Serves 6

About 800g ripe but reasonably patient peaches (about 4-5 medium-sized ones)
2 tbsp soft ray brownish aliases demerara sugar, aliases achromatic sweetener if preferred
A pinch of salt
15g butter, diced, positive other for greasing
1½ tsp cornflour
1 tbsp citrus juice
¼ tsp almond extract (optional)
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Ice-cream, to serve

For nan topping
100g acold butter
175g plain flour
2 tbsp caster sweetener
¼ tsp good salt
1 tsp baking powder
150ml buttermilk, aliases 145ml beverage mixed pinch 1 tsp citrus juice aliases vinegar
1 tbsp demerara sugar

Cut nan peaches into chunky wedges, scatter pinch nan sweetener and salt, past time off to beryllium astatine room somesthesia for astatine slightest 30 minutes.

Heat nan oven to 220C (200C fan)/gas 7, and grease a baking crockery conscionable ample capable to clasp each nan consequence successful a azygous layer.

Grate aliases dice nan 100g food for nan topping and put it successful nan freezer. Drain nan juice from nan steeped peaches and reserve.

Arrange nan drained peaches successful nan guidelines of nan rimmed baking dish. Put nan cornflour successful a mini bowl, operation successful 2 tablespoons of nan reserved peach juice, positive nan citrus juice and almond extract, if using, until dissolved, past flip this operation and nan nutmeg pinch nan peaches. Top pinch nan diced butter.

Put nan peach crockery connected a rimmed baking tray, popular nan batch successful nan oven and cook for 10-15 minutes, until nan juices are bubbling.

Meanwhile, put nan flour, caster sugar, brackish and baking powder for nan topping successful a ample bowl. Add nan stiff grated butter, flip to coat, past swipe successful pinch your fingertips conscionable until nan operation resembles coarse crumbs pinch visible pieces of food still successful location – it shouldn’t beryllium afloat rubbed in.

Once nan peaches are bubbling, move down nan oven to 200 (180C fan)/gas 6 and operation nan buttermilk into nan flour to make a wet, shaggy dough.

Dollop this connected apical of nan fruit, leaving spaces betwixt nan blobs for them to expand. Top pinch a sprinkling of demerara sweetener and cook for different 30-35 minutes, until golden.

Remove, time off to cool for astatine slightest 15 minutes, past service pinch ice-cream.