Thursday, May 24, 2012

Old Fashion Blackberry Cobbler

One of my dear high school friends from Alabama asked for a recipe for Blackberry Cobbler. I wish I could say, "Yes, I have my grandmother's recipe that I learned at her knee." But, truth is, I don't! Oh, what I wouldn't give to turn back time and write down the recipe. Grandmother lived to be 102 and I sat her down at about age 94 and recorded her telling about my Daddy when he was a little boy and how she and my grandaddy met. But, I did not ask about cooking. WHAT was I thinking????

This recipe is very similiar to hers and a little different from THE one everyone else makes. Everyone has the "old fashion Dump Pie" recipe ... a cup of fruit, one of self-rising flour, one of sugar, one of milk and a stick of melted butter. But, not everyone has this recipe! When you bake it, be assured that my grandmother is watching over you.  (And remember, this is NOT meant to be pretty, just good!)


Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler

 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
 2 tablespoons sugar
 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 ½ teaspoon salt
 5 tablespoons very cold butter, cut in small pieces
 1/2 cup milk

 Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into mixture with two knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add milk and mix only until dough sticks together. Gently knead a few times to bring dough together. Dust with flour. Roll or pat out dough to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips for lattice, or roll into small, slightly flattened balls to be placed on top of fruit.

 6 cups fresh blackberries (or blueberries)
 1/2 to 1 cup sugar
 2 tablespoons cornstarch
 1 teaspoon grated lime zest, optional
Wash berries and pat dry. Combine sugar, cornstarch and lime zest; mix with berries.

Preheat oven to 375. Spread fruit mixture evenly in baking dish. Cover with biscuit mixture. Sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake until the top is golden brown and the fruit juices are slightly thickened, about 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with whipped cream, chilled heavy cream or ice cream.

8 comments :

  1. A native southern country cook might think needing a recipe for blackberry cobbler is like needing a recipe for sweet tea. But, this native southern country cook is thankful for your posting this recipe. I want to do right by my precious harvest of wild blackberries and I think this recipe will do that. Will report back with the yum yum quotient.

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  2. Tried the recipe. It was good, but I found it a little dry, there was very little juicy liquid in the dish. Perhaps my native wild berries were not as juicy as cultivated ones would be. I would recommend stirring the sugar/cornstarch mixture in about 1/2 cup "or so" of cold water and cook for a couple of minutes. Also, every southern cook knows everything is better with butter. (Not something that Paula invented although she has made it an axiom.) So, I put pats of butter throughout the dish before baking. The cobbler, however, was still delicious. Made even better with a bit of heavy cream poured over the top just before eating.

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    1. Might let the blackberries and sugar "sit" for awhile before making the cobbler (macerate)...the sugar will bring out the juices of the berries as it sits...the longer the more juice...now most recipes say to let them sit for 25-30 minutes...but...I would let them sit for an hour...that's just me...

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  3. Thanks for your suggestions! I'm SURE butter will make it even better! The berries are hard to predict. Some years they are very juicy, others not so much. Adding water or juice will certainly help. This definitely is a cobbler that benefits from lots of juice!

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  4. Oh my LORD! lol..My dear ole' Momma puts all of these "What ya'all call old fashion deep south blackberry cobbler" to shame. She took the time and effort to make and roll out a crust for the top and bottom of a 9"x13" pan. That is what a true blue old fashion blackberry cobbler is here in south east missouri. No short cuts here! lol...

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    1. That is called pie. Not cobbler. Look the definition up. I'm sure your momma's pie was delicious. She took the time to make it so. Cobbler is a quick dessert. Pie isn't.

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    2. Well it's called a "cobbler" because the "dough" in a cobbler resembles a cobbled road...rolled out dough is...I'm sorry but more of a pie than a cobbler...but my Dad's "cobbler" is more of a pie as well. I suppose it's just how YOU prefer it.

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  5. Thank you so much. Just "how my grandmother used to make it." This has the crisper crust and focuses on sweetness in the blackberries. It's more work than cake-like cobblers but well worth it for the great flavor and memories. Thank you!

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