Old Fashioned Fruit Cobbler

It is definitely summertime here in the deep South and here in Georgia it means blueberries and peaches and a little later blackberries. All of these fruits make wonderful cobblers and while there are hundreds of variations on how to make a cobbler, I thought I would share a very old fashioned Southern recipe that is easy and works well with all three fruits. You will find this recipe in all kinds of compilations of Southern recipes or slight variations thereof. I am going to give the basic recipe but you can cut back a little on the sugar in the batter and, of course, adjust the sugar you put in the fruit depending on how naturally sweet it is or how sweet you like it. This is really best when it is still warm from the oven with a little cream(whipped or not) or vanilla ice cream. It is absolutely decadent with a creme Anglais or boiled custard. It is still edible the next day but not nearly as good as when it is warm. This recipe will make enough for 8 good servings.

Preheat your oven to 350F and make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.
In a largish casserole( I use a Pyrex 8x12 inch rectangular one) melt one stick of butter(regular butter( not unsalted) and don't substitute margarine)

Make a batter of:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup of milk

If using peaches, peel and slice enough peaches to wind up with about 2 to 2 and a half cups of fruit. Depending on the ripeness and sweetness add up to a cup of sugar to the peaches and let sit for a few minutes.

If using blueberries mix 2 or so cups of fresh blueberries with a half cup of sugar and let them sit for a few minutes. The same applies for blackberries just adjust the sugar for the sweetness you want.

If you want you can mix peaches and blueberries ( a cup of each).

Assemble the cobbler:
Pour the batter mixture into the pan over the melted butter but DO NOT STIR. Carefully spoon your fruit mixture over the batter and butter(make sure you get all the juice) and again DO NOT STIR. Place this in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until the top is nicely brown and you can see the fruit juice bubbling along the edges of the pan. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 20 or 30 minutes before serving with cream or ice cream. Best when served still nice and warm from the oven.

Of course you can use other fruit besides these three(nectarines and plums or greengages come to mind) and you can even use frozen fruit(just thaw it first and add the right amount of sugar). In the dead of winter you can used canned sliced peaches as well. The variation using canned peaches is what you will find at the end of many Southern buffet lines.

Warning the basic recipe makes a pretty sweet cobbler, especially if you use the whole cup of sugar in the fruit but with good fresh fruit it is a wonderful treat.