DigiBites: Ooh, Peachy Keen! Time For Cobbler, Crisp, And Crumble!

Hello again News 24/680.com readers:
Yesterday, we had a reader request a Peach Cobbler recipe. Fresh, late-season peaches were ripening at home and needed to be used soon. So, 12 hours later, I tested 3 recipes: (1) Cobbler (2) Crisp and (3) Crumble.

The filling is the same for all three desserts. The toppings are all a bit different. Cobbler has a buttermilk dough with leaveners (baking powder and soda) on top of the fruit. Crisps and crumbles are similar with streusel-type toppings; however, crisps often contain oats, but crumbles do not. So, I have provided all three topping recipes. Each has similar flavors, but the textures vary. Try all three and let me know what you prefer. (My favorite is the crisp; I like the crunch of the nuts).

This late-summer season is perfect for the last of the local stonefruit. I recommend using organically-grown fruit as conventionally-grown are often treated with pesticides. The peaches in this recipe may be substituted with nectarines, blueberries, apples, cherries, berries, or strawberries and rhubarb depending on the season.
Happy baking…
– Chef Charlie

Universal Filling:

3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Peach Cobbler Topping:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk, cold
2 tablespoons coarse sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

•     For the topping, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter cubes and with fingers break the cubes into pea-sized pieces until it resembles coarse meal. Slowly add the buttermilk and mix with the hands until evenly combined. Divide the dough into 5 or six pieces. Gently flatten each piece of dough and place on top of the filling; allowing the peach filling to show through between the pieces. Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon-sugar.

Peach Crisp Topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 ounces butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup blanched almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Peach Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
•     For the topping, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Add the butter and walnuts and mix until crumbly.

Procedure:•     Preheat oven to 375˚F.

•     To peel the peaches: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the peaches in the boiling water for 45 seconds. Remove to an ice bath. Use a paring knife to peel the peaches. Halve and pit the peaches and cut them into
1-inch chunks.

•     In a large mixing bowl combine the peaches, lemon juice, brown sugar and cornstarch. Place the mixture in a buttered 2-quart oven-proof baking dish.

•     Cover the filling evenly with the your topping of choice.

•     Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. The topping should be lightly-browned and the peach juices bubbly around the edges.

•     Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or soft whipped cream.

Serves 8

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