Any Fruit Biscuit Cobbler

Back in August, this was the first baking recipe I managed to make from scratch, start to finish, since Max was born, and this belated post is a testament to how hard it is to get almost anything else done when you are caring for a baby! I first discovered this cherry biscuit cobbler last year and couldn’t wait to make it again with different fruit fillings. The biscuits themselves are like perfect tea time scones, light and perfectly tender, and when combined with jammy fruit and optional but highly recommended ice cream or whipped cream, the whole thing tastes like a cross between a pie and a shortcake.

I tweaked the biscuits with a touch less sugar and a little bit of whole grain flour for toastiness and texture, and in this version placed them on top of a mix of blackberries and nectarines when those fruits were both perfectly in season. I can also attest to the fact that the original cherries and this phenomenal cinnamon apricot pie filling are wonderful in this cobbler, so I feel fairly confident that you could use your favourite pie filling or whatever fruit you have on hand – fresh in season or frozen – for a tasty result.

Any Fruit Biscuit Cobbler

Adapted from Bon Appétit. Makes about 8 servings. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

Biscuits

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup sifted spelt flour or whole spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tsp lemon zest

pinch fine sea salt

Toss in 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes.

With your fingers squish the butter into the flour, working quickly so the butter doesn’t melt, until the butter is evenly distributed and the largest pieces are about the size of a pea.

Gradually pour 2/3 cup cold heavy cream over the flour-butter mixture and toss / fold with a fork to distribute the cream. 

It should come together in loose, sticky dough.

Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface. Sprinkle with a little flour and pat into a rectangle about 3/4″ thick, using a spatula or bench scraper to lift the dough and dust more flour underneath to prevent sticking as needed.

Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces and stack them on top of each other – this will create flaky layers in your biscuits.

Dust the top with flour and press down with a rolling pin to flatten, then roll the dough out to 1/2″ thick (the shape doesn’t matter). Using a ~1″ round cookie cutter, punch out little round biscuits as close together as possible, dipping the cutter in flour often to prevent sticking.

Transfer the cut biscuits to a plate. Gently gather together, re-roll, and re-cut any dough scraps. Chill the biscuits until ready to use.

Fruit Filling and Assembly

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (375˚F convection) with the rack in the middle position.

In a large bowl, combine:

2 lbs fresh or frozen fruit or berries, or a combination (I used 2 large nectarines and made up the rest of the weight with blackberries)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (can increase / decrease depending on the sweetness of your fruit)

3 tbsp cornstarch

a big squeeze of lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch kosher salt

Spoon the fruit filling into a 9″ round deep dish pie plate or equivalent 2 quart baking dish.

Arrange the chilled biscuit rounds on top, fitting them closely together with as few gaps as possible. With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the biscuits with 2 tbsp heavy cream, then sprinkle with 2 tbsp coarse-grained raw sugar.

Place the cobbler on a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet to catch any overflowing juices in the oven. Bake in the preheated 400˚F (375˚F convection) oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350˚F (325˚F convection) and bake 50-65 minutes longer, until golden brown on top and the juices are bubbling in the centre.

Cool slightly, then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.