Cobblers, Crumbles, and Crisps

[Pool Boy]

Peach & blueberry cobbler....slightly tweaked rendition from smittenkitchen. Delicious!

[monavano]

Peach & blueberry cobbler....slightly tweaked rendition from smittenkitchen. Delicious!

Do you have a link and can you tell us how you tweaked it? I find cobblers to be a bit difficult to get right. Sometimes it's too runny, sometimes it's dry...sometimes the topping is too hard. Any pointers appreciated!

[DanielK]

I don't understand the need for everyone to put blueberries in a peach cobbler. Am I the only one who finds that you can't taste the peaches once you throw in blueberries?

[monavano]

I don't understand the need for everyone to put blueberries in a peach cobbler. Am I the only one who finds that you can't taste the peaches once you throw in blueberries?

I think it's a ratio thing. The bb's can overwhelm the peaches if there are too many. Also, it's aesthetically pleasing.

[leleboo]

Do you have a link and can you tell us how you tweaked it? I find cobblers to be a bit difficult to get right. Sometimes it's too runny, sometimes it's dry...sometimes the topping is too hard. Any pointers appreciated!

Here's the link to the smitten kitchen post with recipe (I do love her stuff).

[mdt]

I don't understand the need for everyone to put blueberries in a peach cobbler. Am I the only one who finds that you can't taste the peaches once you throw in blueberries?

Nope. And the pic in the link above shows the peaches being overwhelmed.

[DanielK]

I think it's a ratio thing. The bb's can overwhelm the peaches if there are too many. Also, it's aesthetically pleasing.

To me, the perfect ratio of blueberries to peaches in cobbler is 0:many.

[Pool Boy]

Here's the link to the smitten kitchen post with recipe (I do love her stuff).

That's the recipe. Here are my variation tweaks--

For the fruit, I used two generous thirds of a cup of dark brown sugar, and heaped the lemon juice, salt and cinnamon too. Also, I used 5 cups peaches and only one cup of blueberries and it was not overwhelmed at all (so a 5 to 1 ratio versus a 4 to 2 ratio). The recipe would have worked using exclusively peaches (or blueberries), too.

For the biscuit, I stuck to the recipe, but had to get creative with no buttermilk on hand (used milk addled with a smidge of vinegar). The author suggested using more biscuity topping if you love it and I didn't. Which I regret. It's a good topping, but you need to love cornmeal (and I do).

[mdt]

For the biscuit, I stuck to the recipe, but had to get creative with no buttermilk on hand (used milk addled with a smidge of vinegar). The author suggested using more biscuity topping if you love it and I didn't. Which I regret. It's a good topping, but you need to love cornmeal (and I do).

You can also use yogurt as a substitute.

[goodeats]

For the biscuit, I stuck to the recipe <snip>

This reminds me: when or why does cobbler have two types of toppings? I've seen recipes with a more pie crust like topping, while others are biscuit-like. Which is the "original" and which do people prefer?

[Pool Boy]

This reminds me: when or why does cobbler have two types of toppings? I've seen recipes with a more pie crust like topping, while others are biscuit-like. Which is the "original" and which do people prefer?

There are classically both 'crusts' as options. Not sure why. I love them both for different reasons.

[zoramargolis]

There are classically both 'crusts' as options. Not sure why. I love them both for different reasons.

When making cobblers, both the pate brisee-type top and biscuit topped, I've had better luck baking the top separately, and then assembling just prior to serving. Otherwise, especially with the biscuit-topped, the underside of the dough that is in contact with the fruit can stay gummy. Fruit crisps, with a streusel-type topping is the only one I make with the topping put on the fruit before it goes in the oven. I actually made one of those recently, where the streusel topping was baked separately on a cookie sheet--I cooked the fruit on top of the stove and caramelized the sugars, instead of baking it.

[lperry]

^ A trick my Grandmother taught me is to have the fruit hot going into the dish before you add the biscuit dough and put it in the oven. They will be soft on the bottom like dumplings, but not gummy.

[Pool Boy]

When making cobblers, both the pate brisee-type top and biscuit topped, I've had better luck baking the top separately, and then assembling just prior to serving. Otherwise, especially with the biscuit-topped, the underside of the dough that is in contact with the fruit can stay gummy. Fruit crisps, with a streusel-type topping is the only one I make with the topping put on the fruit before it goes in the oven. I actually made one of those recently, where the streusel topping was baked separately on a cookie sheet--I cooked the fruit on top of the stove and caramelized the sugars, instead of baking it.

Zora that's just anal retentive......and this coming from Mr. anal retentive. Thanks for the tip! Still, I have to say that this biscuit topping did not turn out anywhere remotely gummy. Honest! But a really good convection oven helps on that front a lot.