This post is a couple days late, but happy National Peach Cobbler Day!
(Ahem…it was April 13. Don’t worry, I didn’t know either until I saw this tweet from King Arthur Flour)
A special holiday dedicated just to peach cobbler is good for reminding people of how awesome it is (I mean, desserts that aren’t awesome don’t get their own day, right?) and motivate them to make it. It worked for me.
But you don’t actually have to wait a whole year to celebrate this significant (and ridiculous, who decided this?) national holiday. All you have to do is make your own peach cobbler, grab some friends and throw yourself a party!
– Peach Cobbler – adapted from a Cook’s Illustrated recipe found on Annie’s Eats
Peach filling:
Approx. 2 lbs frozen peaches
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch (I used 2 tsp of tapioca starch)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Cobbler:
1 cup flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
extra sugar for sprinkling (optional)
*Note: The recipe on Annie’s Eats called for fresh peaches, approximately 2 1/2 lbs. If you have ripe, yet firm, peaches, go ahead and use them! It’s not peach season in DC though. Also, she used 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt instead of sour cream, but it was what I had around. My cobbler dough ended up very stiff and sticky, but the end result was superb. The sour cream left the cobbler with the typical flaky-biscuit qualities that we all love, with an added subtle tang and creaminess. I highly recommend this switch out, but use whatever you have available.
– Place frozen peach slices in a large bowl with the sugar to defrost for about 30 minutes. Stir to coat evenly and redistribute the syrupy juices.
– Remove a 1/4 cup of peach juice and place in a separate small bowl. Whisk in cornstarch, lemon juice and salt. Return liquid mixture to the peaches and toss to coat.
– Pour peaches into a 8×8 square baking dish and cook at 425 degrees F for about 10 minutes, until the edges are bubbling.
– Prepare cobbler topping by mixing flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender (or for the lo-fi folks, a fork), cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course meal. Use a rubber spatula to fold in sour cream (or yogurt) until a cohesive dough is form, but be careful not to over-mix.
– Drop blobs of cobbler on top of the peaches and sprinkle with additional tsp or so of sugar, if desired. Bake whole dish at 425 degrees for an additional 16-18 minutes, until cobbler is browned and peaches are bubbling. Let cool before serving.
So there you go. Perfect excuse for a party; chill some wine and get your Facebook invites ready!
