Cherry Cobbler

Oh my goodness. You know you want some cobbler. I mean, who doesn't? 

Cobbler can be made with most fruits or berries. However, peaches, blueberries, and cherries tend to be the most popular ones used. The topping for cobbler is what sets it apart from other fruit desserts. It's a biscuit like batter that is spread on top and baked until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream and you will have some happy campers at your house. 

This recipe is an updated version of my great-grandmothers. I know. It seems sacrilege to update great-grandma's recipe but it needed it. In fact, I have a set of her recipes that I'm throwing together in a book (stay tuned for further details). 

One note about this recipe:
Choose a large baking dish. While the cherries themselves might fit into a medium size baking dish, once you put the batter on top, there will be some displacement and the filling will start to spill over. So, use a larger baking dish to prevent the spillage. 

Cherry Cobbler
Serves 6-8

Filling:

• 8 cups (~2 1/2 pounds) frozen sweet cherries* 
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

Make the filling:
In a saucepan, heat the frozen cherries over medium heat until cherries release their juice, about 5 minutes. In a bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch; add to the cherries and mix well. Cook until the mixture boils. Add the vanilla. Turn off the heat and pour mixture into a large baking dish.

Make the topping:
In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the milk; milk until a stiff batter forms. Carefully spoon the mixture over the hot filling. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is cooked through and golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. 

*If you use tart cherries, increase the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. 

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