Tuesday, August 2, 2011

What Do You Know About Peach Cobbler?

Photo (c) Flickr User: Neil Conway
I've never made a peach cobbler. I've made peach crumbles, peach crisps, peach tarts, peach pies, and peach parfaits, but not one single cobbler. 

I've been doing some research for an upcoming video, and I'm leaning towards the classic southern style where the batter bakes up through a buttery layer of peaches and juice to form a beautifully browned crust over the top. I literally just made myself hungry typing that sentence! If you have any "to die for" peach cobbler recipes, please pass them along! Thanks and stay tuned!

21 comments:

Discovery said...

I only know two things about peach cobbler: My granny makes a mean one, and it is ALWAYS about the crust.

Jenna said...

I am more of a crisp fan than a cobbler but when I make cobbler I always use fresh peaches, a good quality buttermilk, a mix of white and brown sugar and real butter.

Food Junkie said...

I have never seen the southern version you describe John (something to do with being Canadian perhaps) but eagerly await whichever recipe you try - maybe you can do different types and compare?

The traditional cobbler I grew up with, but have never made myself for some reason, ALWAYS had a biscuit topping. Made with Niagara peaches fresh off the tree it was a simple yet absolutely yummy experience.

Chris K. said...

Only peach cobbler I ever made was in the Boy Scouts. Canned peaches, Bisquick, and a Dutch oven over hot coals. Surprisingly good.

It wasn't "to die for," but the technique is solid. I'm sure if we used fresh, high-quality ingredients it would've been something special.

Also: ice cream.

Sarah said...

I always thought a cobbler had scone dough on top (biscuit for you Americans, I'm from Australia). Now Peach Pan Dowdy - *there's* one of my favourite American recipes.

Also ice cream is good, or cold vanilla custard.

bdwilcox said...

What do I know about a peach cobbler? The hardest thing is getting the peaches to stay on your feet.

Composer Meets Music said...

The only thing I know about ol' peach cobbler is that the Salt Lick has the best.

Anonymous said...

Busy Day Cobbler

4 to 6 cups fruit: apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, peaches, or blackberries. Fresh,
frozen (thawed) or canned.
½ cup sugar (less if using canned fruit)
1 cup water (less depending on fruit juices)
1 egg, beaten
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar or less depending on sweetness of fruit
1 cup flour
⅓ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon (use with apples, apricots and peaches)
¼ teaspoon nutmeg (use with apples, apricots and peaches)

Preheat oven to 400ยบ

Place fruit in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan (for a thicker cobbler use a 9x9). Combine ½ cup sugar and water and pour over fruit. Sprinkle spices over fruit. Mix egg, salt, baking powder, sugar, and flour together. Spread over fruit. Pour butter over top. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Best is cooled about 30 minutes and served slightly warm.

Not exactly southern traditional but our family favorite.

Anonymous said...

the best peach cobbler is a blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

Mikaela said...

The best peach cobbler is from America's Test Kitchen, and the recipe is on my blog: http://morecipes.blogspot.com/2010/12/fruit-cobbler.html

Try it out!

Chris said...

The only southern peach cobbler I've ever had was made by an 80 year old Central Texas native, who used fresh peaches, too much sugar for my taste, and cooked them down to nearly half. Then she mixed dumplings like I make for Chicken & Dumplings, from all purpose flour, an egg and canola oil, rolled them to about 1/8 inch, floured them well and cut them 1 inch by 3 inches, and layered them into a pie dish. She poured the fruit mixture over the dumplings, sprinkled with more sugar and a pinch of nutmeg, and baked it until the dumplings that rose to the top were medium brown and crispy. They were too sweet for my taste, but she loved them, and swore they were the only way to make cobbler. Everything else was something else, not cobbler, she'd insist. I'm looking forward to seeing yours!

Lexi @ A Spoonful of Sunshine said...

My Dad makes a mean Peach Cobbler using his "secret ingredient," which is actually just Bisquick. If you'd like, I'll pass along the recipe :)

Chef John said...

Thanks to everyone for the ideas and suggestions!!

John Ohrt said...

No recipe, just respect.

Looking forward to this one! ^_^

Melanie said...

We would visit my Grandmother in Arkansas frequently who made her cobbler in a 13 x 9 Pyrex dish. she used fresh peaches with a little sugar and covered it with a lattice pie crust. All of this was done without a single measuring cup or measuring spoon. I think she used lard in the crust? It was off the charts delicious with a big scoop of ice cream.

Melanie said...

We would visit my Grandmother in Arkansas frequently who made her cobbler in a 13 x 9 Pyrex dish. she used fresh peaches with a little sugar and covered it with a lattice pie crust. All of this was done without a single measuring cup or measuring spoon. I think she used lard in the crust? It was off the charts delicious with a big scoop of ice cream.

Kurt n' Suzanne said...

Peach Cobbler
Neva Jackson
Warm:

2 qt. peaches
2 T. tapioca
little sugar
cinnamon & nutmeg

Topping:

1 egg
¼ c. shortening
1 t. vanilla
½ c. sugar
⅔ c. milk
3 c. bisquik

Put on fruit by spoonfuls. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and/or nuts. Bake 350° for 45 minutes. Definitely a family favorite!!!

Dan said...

I'm from Texas and I enjoy this cobbler so much. My coworker's wife makes this and he gave me the recipe. I believe this is what you're talking about chef.

1 cup sugar
1 cup self rising flour
1 stick of margarine
1 cup buttermilk
1 large can of peaches
sprinkle of cinnamon

mix flour, sugar and buttermilk until smooth but not doughy. melt margarine and pour into baking dish. Pour dour mix on top of margarine, then add peaches. sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake at 350 for 30min until top is brown but not dried out.

Claudine said...

Peach Cobbler
½ cup Butter
1 ½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 ½ cups plus 1 Tablespoon Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ cups Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Almond or Vanilla Extract, divided
2 lbs Peaches, peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)
Place oven rack in lower middle position. Pre-heat oven to 350˚. Put butter in a 13 x 9 inch baking pan and place in the oven to melt.
Whisk flour, 1 ½ cups of sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in milk and ½ teaspoon extract until smooth. Toss peaches with remaining extract and 1 Tablespoon sugar. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven. Pour batter into pan. Arrange fruit on top of batter. Bake until batter turns golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This is buttery and slightly chewy. My favorite cobbler ever. Enjoy!

Lee said...

I know my mom's aunt makes the best peach cobbler I have ever placed on my taste buds. I told her she can't make any for Thanksgiving unless she gets her recipe. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Sue said...

SUES PEACH COBBLER

PRE- HEAT OVEN TO 400 DEGREES

INGREDIANTS FOR PREPARING PEACHES:

2/3 CUPS SUGAR
6 CUPS FIRM PEACHES
1/4 TSP. NUTMEG
1/4 TSP. CINNAMON
1 TBL. CORN STARCH
1 - 2 TBL. FRESH LEMON

1. SLICE PEACHES AND ADD SUGAR (SET A SIDE FOR A MINIMUM OF 1 HR. OR UP TO 24)

2. DRAIN JUICE INTO SEPARATE BOWL, SET A SIDE.

3. ADD SPICES AND LEMON TO PEACHES, MIX THROUGHLY.

4. MIX CORN STARCH INTO PEACH JUICE TO SUIT YOUR PREFERENCE AS TO HOW JUICY OR JELLED YOU LIKE YOUR COBBLER. (YOU SHOULD USE NO LESS THAN 1/2 CUP OF JUICE.) ADD JUICE BACK INTO PEACH MIXTURE.

PREPARE BATTER FOR BOTTOM LAYER:

INGREDIENTS FOR BOTTOM LAYER:

1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1 CUP SUGAR
1 STICK BUTTER - MELTED
1 CUP EVAPORATED MILK
1/2 TSP. BAKING POWDER

POUR MELTED BUTTER INTO BOTTOM OF A 13X9 INCH GLASS PAN.

MIX ALL DRY INGREDIENTS.

ADD MILK TO DRY, MIX JUST TILL BLENDED.

POUR BATTER ON TOP OF BUTTER, DON'T MIX. POUR PEACHES ON TOP OF BATTER, STAYING ABOUT 1/2" FROM EDGES OF PAN, DON'T MIX.

PLACE PAN IN PRE HEATED OVEN ON CENTER RACK FOR ABOUT 10 MIN. WHILE MAKING TOP LAYER. BATTER WILL BE JUST STARTING TO BUBBLE AROUND EDGES WHEN YOU TAKE IT OUT TO PUT ON TOPPING.

PREPARE BISCUIT TOPPING:

INGREDIANTS:

1 CUP UNBLEACHED ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
4 TBL. SUGAR
3/4 TSP BAKING POWDER
1/4 TSP. BAKING SODA
5 TBL. COLD UNSALTED BUTTER
PINCH OF SALT
CARNATION MILK OR PLAIN YOGURT* (SEE NOTE)

IN A FOOD PROCESSOR ADD ALL DRY INGREDIANTS AND PULSE TO MIX.

CUT BUTTER INTO SMALL PIECES AND SPREAD ACROSS FLOUR MIX. PULSE BUTTER INTO FLOUR APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES THEN POUR MIXTURE INTO BOWL.

*IF USING YOGURT ADD 1/3 CUP AND MIX GENTLY INTO FLOUR UNTIL COHESIVE DOUGH IS FORMED. DO NOT OVER MIX AS IT WILL CAUSE BISCUIT TO BE TOUGH.

* IF USING MILK ADD JUST ENOUGH ( APPROX. 1/4 CUP) TO MAKE DOUGH COHESIVE (HOLD TOGETHER) INTO RUFF MOUNDS OR BISCUITS. DOUGH WILL BE VERY MOIST, BUT ABLE TO HANDLE.

REMOVE PAN FROM OVEN GENTLY TRYING NOT TO BANG OR KNOCK PAN. QUICKLY MAKE AND PLACE 6-8 MOUNDS OF BISCUITS ON TOP OF PEACH MIXTURE LEAVING SPACE BETWEEN EACH BISCUIT STAYING AWAY FROM EDGES OF PAN.
WORK QUICKLY TO GET PAN BACK INTO OVEN,

BAKE FOR 20 MIN. OR UNTIL NICELY BROWNED.