With peaches ripe and inexpensive, today I'm making that southern classic, peach cobbler. To be clear, this is a peach base with a sweetened biscuit topping. There is often confusion between cobblers, crisps, pandowdys and crumbles, so if you want to learn more about the differences, check out my post on that topic which includes dump cakes.
I'm also giving you the option of using Bisquick for the biscuits, as that's what my mother always used and I have her recipe which works just fine. You'll see why she preferred it when you read the topping instructions below. I'll also include the standard biscuit recipe here as well, which I got from Cooks Illustrated and generally use as I don't keep Bisquick on hand in my pantry.
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| Classic Fresh Peach Cobbler with Biscuit Topping |
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| Preparing the Peaches |
Fresh Peaches: The hardest part about making anything with fresh peaches is finding good quality peaches. Unless you live near an orchard where you can pick them tree ripened, it can be challenging. My general advice is to smell the peach at the market and press gently into the flesh. Even if these results are good, the peaches still may not have been tree ripened, which makes the classic method of peeling them (dunk in boiling water, transfer to cold, and skins slide off) very challenging. It is for this reason I generally advise that you use a potato peeler first to see if the skins come off easily that way. If they do, simply peel them. If the peach is too delicate for the potato peeler, then bring a pot of water to a boil, dunk 2-3 peaches into the pot at a time for 15 seconds, and then move immediately into an ice water bath. The skins should then slide off easily. For any stuck spots, a pairing knife will be your friend.
Ingredients
2-3 pounds peaches, ripe but firm (6 or so)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated preferred (optional)
pinch table salt
Standard Biscuit Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon course sugar for garnish
Substitute Bisquick Biscuit Topping
2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 tablespoons butter, melted (can sub coconut oil)
1/2 cup milk (can sub unsweetened almond milk)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon course sugar for garnish
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425F degrees.
For the filling: Peel peaches (see note above), then halve and pit them. Cut out any soft or bruised parts. Cut into equal sized pieces, about 8 slices per peach. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Some peaches will be very juicy, others rather dry. Reserve 1/4 cup of drained juice and discard the extra. Stir cornstarch, nutmeg (optional) lemon juice, and salt into reserved peach juice. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish or equivalent. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around edges, about 10-15 minutes, depending on ripeness of peaches.
For the topping: While peaches are baking make the biscuit topping of your choice below.
Standard Biscuit Topping: In a food processor, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don't over-mix dough or biscuits will be tough.) Break dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.
Substitute Bisquick Biscuit Topping: Whisk together the Bisquick baking mix and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and melted butter just until a soft dough comes together. Don't over-mix. Separate dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.
Assemble and Bake: After peaches have baked 10-15 minutes and are starting to bubble around the edges, remove peaches from oven and place dough mounds on top, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with the course sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 12 to 16 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes; serve with cream, whipped cream or ice cream.
Ingredients
2-3 pounds peaches, ripe but firm (6 or so)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated preferred (optional)
pinch table salt
Standard Biscuit Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 teaspoon course sugar for garnish
Substitute Bisquick Biscuit Topping
2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 tablespoons butter, melted (can sub coconut oil)
1/2 cup milk (can sub unsweetened almond milk)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon course sugar for garnish
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425F degrees.
For the filling: Peel peaches (see note above), then halve and pit them. Cut out any soft or bruised parts. Cut into equal sized pieces, about 8 slices per peach. Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Some peaches will be very juicy, others rather dry. Reserve 1/4 cup of drained juice and discard the extra. Stir cornstarch, nutmeg (optional) lemon juice, and salt into reserved peach juice. Toss peach juice mixture with peach slices and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish or equivalent. Bake until peaches begin to bubble around edges, about 10-15 minutes, depending on ripeness of peaches.
For the topping: While peaches are baking make the biscuit topping of your choice below.
Standard Biscuit Topping: In a food processor, pulse flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter over and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add yogurt and toss with rubber spatula until cohesive dough is formed. (Don't over-mix dough or biscuits will be tough.) Break dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.
Substitute Bisquick Biscuit Topping: Whisk together the Bisquick baking mix and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and melted butter just until a soft dough comes together. Don't over-mix. Separate dough into 6 evenly sized but roughly shaped mounds and set aside.
Assemble and Bake: After peaches have baked 10-15 minutes and are starting to bubble around the edges, remove peaches from oven and place dough mounds on top, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound with the course sugar. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, 12 to 16 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack until warm, about 20 minutes; serve with cream, whipped cream or ice cream.
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