Instructions

Heat oven to 375 F. Spray or butter a 1 ½ quart or similar baking dish. Set aside with a foil lined baking sheet. ( For variety, use two buttered pie plates so you can vary the fruit in each smaller cobbler.)

Prepare fruit: Wash, peel, pit and slice each peach into about 8 pieces. Fruit will shrink as it bakes so start with large slices! Before mixing, taste your fruit. Add more sugar and/or lemon juice to suit your taste. Gently toss together peaches, sugar, lemon juice, salt, flour and optional cinnamon. Set aside.

Prepare dough: In another bowl, stir together zest and sugar until well blended. Add in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup cold cream and set aside. ( This “buttermilk” trick gives biscuits a nice tang and texture.)

Crumble cold butter over flour mixture.  Using two forks or your hands, lightly rub in butter until dough resembles course meal. Visible clumps of butter are okay. Switch to a fork or rubber spatula. Pour in lemony cream, a little at a time, stirring continuously, just until dry ingredients are moistened. For light biscuits, don’t overmix! Dough may be a bit dry- thats okay!

*Assemble cobbler: Place fruit mixture and juices into baking dish. Use a small or large ice cream scoop to deposit 1/4 dough in small clumps between fruit, then scoop and arrange remaining dough on top of fruit. Space scoops apart so that juices can bubble up around the dough. (Optional: brush dough tops with cream and/ or sprinkle tops with a little raw sugar.)

Bake: Place cobbler on baking sheet (to catch drips). Bake 40 – 45 minutes or longer, until topping is slightly browned, with juices bubbling.

To serve: Let cool slightly before serving warm with extra cream or topping of choice, if desired.

* Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate unbaked cobbler early in the day. Uncover and bake one hour before you want to serve it.  Allow a little more time for cobbler to cook through.

Variations: plum and blackberry, apples and cranberries (use more sugar), mixed berry or stone fruits, pears and wine soaked raisins. The possibilities are endless!