If It’s Not a Slump or a Grunt: It Must Be a Cobbler

Recipes that have been around a long time have a tendency to spawn variations or even become a blend of similar dishes. Fruit cobbler is a case in point.

This all-American dessert is a first cousin to both the deep-dish pie and pandowdy. In all three, sugared fruit is covered with a rich biscuit crust, then baked. Other similar desserts include grunt, slump, buckle and flummery.

Preparation shortcuts are another typical evolution of classic recipes. Often these changes save time and effort without adversely affecting the end product. But not always.

Recently we discovered that modern cobbler recipes often omit the step of precooking the fruit. Placing the biscuit dough over hot fruit, however, cooks it faster and the crust is less likely to become soggy. So in this instance, the few extra minutes of preparation are worthwhile.

Peeling the fruit for a cobbler is optional. Combine it in a saucepan with sugar and a tablespoon of flour and cook over low heat until the fruit is hot and tender. The exact amount of sugar and length of cooking will vary depending on the sweetness and ripeness of the fruit.

The mixture should be brought to a boil so there will be no raw flour flavor. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Pour the hot fruit into a baking dish (Step 1), sprinkle with cinnamon to taste and dot with small pats of butter (Step 2).

A variety of crust styles are used for cobblers. Thinner batter can be spooned (Step 3) over the fruit and left rough (or cobbled).

More dense dough may be cut into biscuits and placed on top (Step 4) or small pieces of dough may be pinched off, pressed between your fingers, then placed over the fruit like cobblestones (Step 5).

The most traditional method is to roll out the biscuit dough and place it over the fruit (Step 6), then pinch the dough to the rim of the pan. Whatever crust style is preferred, cobbler is best served warm from the oven with cream, whipped cream or ice cream.

FRESH PEACH COBBLER

1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk, about

2/3 cup sugar

3 cups sliced peaches

Ground cinnamon

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Stir in enough milk to make soft dough. Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times. Roll dough out to 11x8-inch rectangle.

Combine sugar and remaining 1 tablespoon flour in saucepan. Add peach slices and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until fruit is hot and tender.

Pour hot fruit into 10x7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Dot with remaining 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces.

Place rolled dough over fruit, pinching dough to rim of pan. Bake at 425 degrees 25 to 30 minutes or until browned. Makes 6 servings.

Note: To drop dough by spoonfuls, increase milk to 3/4 cup and omit kneading.