Add vanilla ice cream and get ready to be amazed.
I needed something impressive to take to a girls’ potluck this weekend (living in a new city and all), but I didn’t feel like going to the grocery store either. All I had on hand was a big bag of frozen blackberries I picked up at the local farmers’ market the weekend before, and I also had to shower and get dressed–all in a couple of hours. I decided to make this blackberry cobbler from Buns in my Oven because it required very little preparation and only a handful of ingredients. And, really, who doesn’t like hot, sweet fruit with bread on top? Apparently everyone at our potluck does, because it was a hit! I’ll be making it again very soon.
To make this cobbler happen, you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 1 t cinnamon
- 9 t cold butter
- 1/3 C boiling water
- 2 T corn starch
- 1/4 C cold water
- 1 T lemon juice
- 4 C fresh blackberries
- 1/2 C sugar
Preheat the oven to 400°. Mix the first five ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped butter and combine, mashing it with a fork until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Pour in the boiling water and stir until dough is combined, then set aside. In another large mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water. Add the lemon juice, berries, and sugar and toss until combined. Next, pour the berry mixture into a cast iron skillet–the original recipe calls for a 10″ skillet, but I used an 8″ with fine results. I wouldn’t, however, stray by any more than a couple of inches larger or smaller. Heat mixture over medium heat until boiling, stirring frequently. Allow the the berries to cook for at least 10 minutes, or until everything is thick and goopy and delicious-looking. Remove from the heat and drop spoonfuls of the dough mixture over the berry mixture. Don’t worry if the dough sinks to the bottom, because it’ll come back up. Place the skillet on a foil lined cookie sheet and stick it in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the berries are thick and bubbly. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Maybe this is a southern thing, but I prefer cobbler to both cake and pie. Not only is it easier–way less mixing and measuring, and only one pan gets dirtied up–but I don’t feel quite as bad about loving it because there’s at least a little fruit involved.
