Strawberry & Blackberry Cobbler

From the METHOD archives: I suppose Alton Brown is, yet again, responsible for one of my baking creations. Last week on Good Eats, Brown featured cobbler -- made all sorts of ways, using all sorts of ingredients (including lard -- YUCK!).

I became completely obsessed.

Now, I'm not much of a fan of fruit for dessert . . . just doesn't seem decadent enough. My apple crisps, etc. are usually served as side dishes or snacks. So, I made this cobbler for breakfast one day. And then my friends Lindsey & John came over and we all ate it as an afternoon snack.

This particular recipe is modified from a Blueberry Cobbler that appears in the Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts cookbook:

"Slump, cobbler, buckle, betty, pandowdy, and grunt are all terms used to
describe baked desserts replete with fruit and covered with a topping that is
usually, but not always, more like biscuit than a cake. Although there seems to
be no consistent definition for any of these names, there may be regional
differences or preferences for certain terminology. Whatever you choose to call
your dessert [or snack], this recipe guarantees any cook a delicious use of
berries. And the addition of preserves intensifies the berry flavor."

(p. 26)

STRAWBERRY & BLACKBERRY COBBLER
(feel free to substitute blueberries -- the main ingredient in the original recipe -- for all the fruit & preserves)

What you'll need . . .

(fruit layer)

• 2 cups blackberries (I used frozen)
• 1 cup strawberries (again, frozen -- and I used whole instead of sliced)
• 1/3 cup triple berry jam (or any other kind of preserves/jam you have around)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour (or unbleached white flour)

(topping -- kicked up a notch)

• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (or replacement for 1 egg using Ener-G egg replacer)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted (or Earth Balance)
• 2/3 cup soy nog (or regular milk, soy milk, etc.)

Method . . .

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F & butter the baking pan. I used our Le Creuset eggplant dish, but you may use an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a bowl, combine the berries, jam, sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, and flour. Stir gently until mixed.
3. Spoon evenly into the prepared baking dish and set aside while you prepare the topping.
4. In another bowl, whisk together (or sift) the flour, baking powder, cloves, and sugar.
5. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg (or replacer) and combine it with the lemon peel, melted butter, soy nog (or milk), and vanilla.
6. Make a depression in the dry ingredients, add the liquids, and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
7. Spread topping evenly over the berry mixture.
   

TO BAKE: Line the bottom oven rack with some tin foil (to avoid messy fruit spillage -- and, as you can see below, there WILL be spillage). Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown, firm to the touch, and the fruit is bubbly.

Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

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