ANY-FRUIT COBBLER
Serves 6 to 8
First published in
The Washington Post as Meme’s Blackberry Cobbler, this is the dessert present at every holiday table in chef Virginia Willis’s family. Meme was the family name for her grandmother, who made the cobbler with whatever fresh fruit was available when Willis and her sister would spend summer vacations on the road with their grandparents.
This is a batter cobbler; when poured into a hot cast-iron skillet, the batter immediately crisps and swells.
Serve warm with whipped cream, creme fraiche or ice cream.
Make Ahead: Because this is served in the skillet in which it was made, it’s better to make the cobbler the same day it will be served.
Adapted from Willis’ “Bon Appetit, Y’all” (Ten Speed Press, 2008).
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)
unsalted butter 4 cups fresh or defrosted fruit, such as blackberries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, plums, cherries or apricots 1 cup sugar, or more as
needed
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking
powder
Pinch fine sea salt
1 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the butter in a large (10- to 12-inch) castiron skillet (may substitute a large ovenproof baking dish) and place in the oven so the butter melts; this should take 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the fruit in a mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash it just enough so that the pieces release some of their juices. If the fruit is tart, sprinkle a little sugar on top.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cup of sugar, milk and vanilla extract, stirring to form a smooth batter.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Carefully pour the melted butter from the skillet into the batter, stirring to combine, then pour the batter all at once into the skillet (it should begin to puff and set around the edges). Add the fruit and its juices to the center of the batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the crumb comes out mostly clean. Serve warm, straight from the skillet. Nutrition (based on 8 servings) | Calories: 260; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Sodium: 50 mg; Total Carbohydrates: 47 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 33 g; Protein: 3 g.