Berry Delicious

Another baked good? Why, yes it is! I clearly have nothing to eat at home. And by nothing to eat, I mean I just can't seem to muster the energy to make anything. And somehow the cupboards look bare. In the same way that as a teenager you might have whined to your mother that there's nothing to eat when she clearly just went shopping, I can't find anything to eat (other than Fontina, rosemary crackers, green apples, and Gorgonzola). OK I have plenty to eat, just not the makings of an interesting recipe that you would be stoked to make for dinner. Thank goodness I went to the beach this weekend and have content that I can milk for all it's worth, which may be questionable...

For my friend's BBQ, we decided that I should make a berry cobbler/crispy thing. I made a blueberry peach crisp at one of her BBQs last year (and it was big hit), so I decided to make a variation on a theme. I found a berry cobbler recipe in the Williams-Sonoma Entertaining cookbook that looked like what we wanted. Though it wasn't a crisp, the cobbler seemed like it would be totally tasty. I mean, it's essentially a pile of scones on top of sweet cooked fruit. Hellooo! We picked up what looked good at the farmers' market and I just threw it all together. The recipe calls for 2 pounds of berries, but I improvised. You can't really ruin it. Use whatever fruit you like then serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Who knows? Your hosts may even invite you back.



Mixed Berry-Peach Cobbler
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining

2 pints blueberries
2 pints blackberries
2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into wedges
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg
3/4 cup heavy cream
Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, combine the berries, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and ginger and toss to coat the fruit evenly. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.

3. To make the topping, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring and tossing with a fork until the topping mixture holds together.

4. Place dollops of the topping evenly over the fruit, leaving a 1-inch border uncovered around the edge of the dish. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top. Place the dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the cobbler until the top is golden and the berry filling is bubbling, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Serves 8-10.