Summer Fruit Johnnycake Cobbler


While I had those freshly picked red currants, I looked around for recipes to try using them and the other summer fruit I had on hand. I found several recipes I liked. I came across a wonderful recipe for Johnnycake Cobbler in my Baking With Julia cookbook. (Have you bought it yet? You should….) I really liked the idea of using cornmeal to make the biscuit topping. And it called for plums and nectarines, both of which I had plenty. Why not make it and toss in my currants, too?

That’s what I did.

Here’s the recipe with my slight modifications:

Summer Fruit Johnnycake Cobbler
adapted from Baking with Julia

Ingredients:

For The Fruit:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (don’t use margarine!)
1/4 cup sugar, or more to taste–I used brown sugar
6 cups sliced nectarines and purple plums (9-12 pieces of fruit)–I used about 3 nectarines and 9 plums
1/2 to 1 cup red currants
1 tsp. almond extract, optional

For biscuit topping:

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 cup cornmeal (I used a combination of fine and coarse)
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt (use 1/3 less if using table salt)
1/2 stick (2 ounces or 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 12 pieces
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I used whole milk to cut some fat calories)

Instructions:  
For fruit:
Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add brown sugar, stir and add the fruit.  Cook until the fruit softens and the juices thicken.  Add the almond extract.  Remove from heat until ready to assemble cobbler.

For biscuit topping:
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, two butter knives, or your fingertips.  There should be small pieces of butter, roughly the size of small peas, remaining.  Fold in the heavy cream (or milk). The batter will be thick. If it’s too thin, add the extra 1/4 of the cornmeal.

To assemble cobbler(s):

*For small, individual cobblers, butter some large ramekins or custard cups. Add some fruit and top with a little of the batter.

*For two medium sized ones, I used a 10″ tart pan for one and for the other I used an oval baking dish–maybe 7″ across the widest part.

*For one large, use a souffle or 3 quart, round casserole dish with high sides.

Bake the cobblers at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. The large ones need a little more time, the smaller ones will only need about 12 minutes. And it would be a good idea to bake them on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet–a step I accidentally omitted. I’m still scrubbing that baking sheet.

Let the cobblers cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or as I did, a drizzle of sweetened sour cream.

Eat it up fast, or it might turn a funny color on you. Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

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How-To Pictures and Directions:

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add brown sugar.

Add the fruit.

Cook until the fruit softens and the juices thicken.

Add 1 tsp. almond extract, if using.

Combine the dry ingredients.

Fold in the heavy cream (or milk). The batter will be thick. If it’s too thin, add the extra 1/4 of the cornmeal.

Now we have a few options here. You can either go for small, individual cobblers, or one large cobbler. If you want to make small ones, butter some large ramekins or custard cups. Add some fruit and top with a little of the batter.

I made a two medium sized ones. I used a 10″ tart pan for one and for the other I used an oval baking dish–maybe 7″ across the widest part.

Bake the cobblers at 350 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. The large ones need a little more time, the smaller ones will only need about 12 minutes. And it would be a good idea to bake them on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet–a step I accidentally omitted. I’m still scrubbing that baking sheet.

Don’t those bubbling juices look yummy?

Let the cobblers cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream, or as I did, a drizzle of sweetened sour cream.

Eat it up fast, or it might turn a funny color on you. Make sure to refrigerate any leftovers.

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118 Comments

  1. We really are on the same wavelength, I have just been sitting at this computer perusing cobbler recipes i.e. blueberry or blackberry and I thought…”I wonder if Lindsey has any cobbler recipes on her blog because I KNOW it will be the best recipe to use…” and LO and BEHOLD! Amazing! Thank you can’t wait to make this.

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