Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Time: About 1 hour
A humble, homey dessert, cobbler embodies everything we love about rustic, gooey, straight-out-of-the-oven treats. Eat with vanilla ice cream.
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a square baking pan with some butter. Toss the blueberries with ½ cup of the sugar in a medium bowl and put them in the prepared pan.
2. Cut up the stick of butter into ¼-inch bits. Put the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining cup sugar in a food processor and pulse once or twice. Add the butter and process until the mixture is just combined (you should still see bits of butter), just a few seconds. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest if you’re using it, by hand with a fork (you can do this right in the food processor—remove the blade first—or transfer the mixture to a bowl if you like).
3. Drop this mixture onto the blueberries, 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, until you use it all up (space the mounds of dough as evenly as you can, but don’t spread them out). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the topping is just starting to brown and the blueberries are tender and bubbling. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
PEACH COBBLER Another classic cobbler: Instead of the blueberries, slice and pit 2 pounds of peaches (peeled, if you like—see page 33).
APRICOT COBBLER If you’re lucky enough to have good apricots—and haven’t eaten them all raw—make this: Use 2 pounds sliced and pitted apricots for the blueberries.
PEAR-BOURBON COBBLER Southern spirit: Substitute 2 pounds pears for the blueberries. Pour ¼ cup bourbon evenly over the pears in the prepared pan before adding the topping.
CHERRY-ALMOND COBBLER Among the best-tasting cobblers you can make: Instead of the blueberries, remove the pits from 6 cups sweet cherries. Toss the cherries with ⅓ cup chopped almonds. Substitute almond flour (to make your own, see page 15) for ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour.
BALSAMIC-BERRY COBBLER Different, in a good way: Swap in mixed berries of your choice for the blueberries; hull and halve the strawberries if using them. Drizzle ⅓ cup Balsamic Syrup over the berries in the prepared pan before adding the topping.
BLUEBERRY-CORN COBBLER The ultimate backyard barbecue dessert: Substitute 2 cups fresh corn kernels for 2 cups of the blueberries.
APPLE COBBLER Simple: Instead of the blueberries, core and slice 2 pounds apples (don’t bother peeling them).
7 Easy Additions to Cobbler Toppings
The thicker, biscuitlike dough can handle more substantial additions than crumb topping, so you can use it as a springboard for new flavors and textures: