Triple Berry Cobbler

Copyright, Doug Kapustin Photography, 2013

Day 5

When I was a little girl, one of my most anticipated treats was a cobbler. It didn’t matter if it was peach or apple or berry; I just loved the delicate combination of baked fruit surrounded by sweet, cake-like breading. I remember my grandmother could make the best cobblers, and we had the great fortune of enjoying them frequently at her table. Since I don’t have her recipe for cobbler, I have tried so many over the years. In my search for a favorite recipe, I’ve come to realize that the right ratio of bread to fruit is crucial. Until recently, my favorite recipe was one from Paula Deen that I found on the Food Network. Now though, I highly recommend the following triple berry cobbler that I only slightly modified from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen, Best Recipes and Reviews 2013. 

The original recipe calls only for blueberries, but I chose to experiment and to add blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. The result was a tangy, sweet cobbler, marbled with a delicate breading that melts in your mouth. Adding a scoop or two of vanilla bean ice cream definitely completes the dessert, although it’s also 

very delicious without it. 

Triple Berry Cobbler

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (4 tbs. cut into smaller pieces and 8 tbs. melted and cooled)

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ tsp. grated lemon zest

6 oz. container blueberries

6 oz. container blackberries

8 medium- large strawberries

 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 

2 ½ tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

1 ½ cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 4 tbs. cut butter in 13x9 baking dish. Transfer to oven and allow to melt. 

Pulse ¼ cup sugar and lemon zest together in food processor until combined (about 5 pulses); set aside. 

Using potato masher or pastry cutter, mash all berries together with one tablespoon of lemon sugar until berries are coarsely mashed. 

Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and 8 tbs. melted butter until smooth. Remove baking dish from the oven, transfer to wire rack, and pour batter into prepared pan. 

Dollop mashed berries evenly over batter, sprinkle with remaining lemon sugar, and bake until golden brown and edges are crisp, 45-50 minutes. Let cobbler cool for 30 minutes before serving.

(*Recipe modified from The Best of America’s Test Kitchen, Best Recipes and Reviews 2013, page 91; AmericasTestKitchen.com)