Photo: Joanie’s blackberry peach cobbler

My three granddaughters, Eva, Emerson and Ellery, came over to visit a few days ago. We made a batch of tabouleh with vegetables and herbs picked fresh from the garden. 

Eva wanted some wild grapevine leaves to use as “scoops” for the tabouleh. Well, there’s sure enough of those here on our little patch of heaven, and we found plenty of vines twisting their way through a copse of young maples. 

As we were picking the most tender leaves I spied some wild blackberries. Just enough to eat out of hand. Small but tasty.

The next day our friend, Joanie Manzo, brought over a warm blackberry peach cobbler. “I picked the berries from a u-pick farm”, she told me.

That right there confirmed it: blackberries are in season! 

The cobbler was so delicious – the filling just thick enough and the topping a dark golden brown sparkling with coarse sugar. I knew this would be a recipe you’d most likely want to have, so Joanie kindly shared it.

Now it doesn’t matter where you get your fruit. What matters is that you are inspired enough to turn seasonal fruit into a memorable dessert!

Also another cobbler recipe – called “upside down any fruit cobbler” since you pour the batter in first and then the fruit. I chatted about this recipe with Matt Swaim today on the Sonrise Morning show/Sacred Heart Radio. I used blackberries in this recipe but any fruit can be used. We talked about brambles and how they had an ancient, Biblical, history:

Luke 6:44-45  –   
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit….for figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush…”

I always think of the crown of thorns when I pick bramble berries. Anyway, check out the second recipe called “Upside Down Any Fruit Cobbler” .

Let’s start with the first recipe – the one that Joanie shared.

JOANIE’S BLACKBERRY & PEACH COBBLER

You can use 3 cups each fruit, or just all blackberries. Joanie didn’t have fresh peaches, so she drained peaches packed in pear juice, and used them. If all you have is salted butter for the topping, that’s ok. Just reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon.

Ingredients filling

4 cups fresh blackberries

2 cups fresh peaches, sliced rather thin OR 6 cups berries

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Pinch of salt

Ingredients topping

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1/3 to 1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Gently combine blackberries, peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into dish.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in vanilla and just enough milk to form a thick, soft dough.

Drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over fruit (doesn’t have to completely cover it).

Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake 45–55 minutes, until topping is deep golden brown and fruit  bubbles around edges.

Let rest for 15–20 minutes before serving so filling thickens.

Serve with

Vanilla ice cream

Whipped cream

Drizzle of heavy cream

ANY FRUIT COBBLER

Double ingredients for a 9×13 pan.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup or so sugar plus a bit extra for sprinkling on top

Dash salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup or so milk (enough to make a smoother batter)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups fresh fruit – your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 and place rack on top (this helps brown the top)

Pour melted butter in 8×8 pan or 2 quart casserole.

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt

and baking powder.

Can you swap out frozen for fresh? 

Yes, you can. I would leave the berries frozen and if you’re using peaches, thaw them just a bit. Count on baking time a little longer, and if the top is browning too fast, just tent it with foil.