Creative Cooking with Southern Flair!
Just Peachy
Cobbler
Ingredients
Butter Pastry
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cubed
4 tablespoon ice cold water
Rolling pin
Peach Filling
2 pounds ripe peaches, plus 2 large peaches for puree
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons B&B liqueur or good quality brandy
2 tablespoons corn starch
Note: If your cast iron does not have an enamel finish, use a baking dish instead.
Unfinished cast iron can leach into the cobbler and ruin the flavor.
10 to 11 inch cast iron skillet or a round 9 inch by 2 1/4 inch deep baking dish
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
Pastry brush
Fresh peaches baked with peach puree, brandy, ginger and cinnamon with a buttery pastry.
Directions
Butter Pastry
Note: Use a pastry cutter if you don't have a food processor.
Add the flour, salt and sugar to a food processor with a fitted blade and pulse 3-4 times to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is chopped and incorporated. About 10-15 seconds. Drizzle in the ice water while pulsing and continue pulsing until crumbs form, then stop. Do not over-pulse or your pastry may become tough. Pour the crumbs onto a lightly floured surface, press together into a sphere shape. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate.
Peach Filling
Peel the extra 2 large peaches, slice them and puree in a blender. Press puree through a sieve and measure out 1/2 cup.
Peel the remaining peaches using a sharp paring knife or use the blanch-peel technique. Slice the peaches and place in a med-large sauce pan. Add the puree, sugars, spices, salt, brandy and bring to a boil over medium temp. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of COLD water and stir into the peaches. Stir well and remove from the heat.
Roll the dough out 1/2 inch smaller than the width of the inside of the skillet or baking dish. Pour the peach filling into the skillet, spread out evenly and place the cold pastry dough on top (don't press). Whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water and brush onto the top of pastry. Cut a small X into the center to release steam, place on a baking sheet in the center of a 375 degree oven and bake 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Serves 6-8