This Apple Pear Cobbler is an easy and simple dessert, perfect for a cozy winter dinner! (Jump directly to the recipe.)
“So you’re on dessert duty, I hope that’s OK.” AJ told me, as we were going over our holiday itinerary back in Indiana. This was not a surprise to me as I’m pretty much always on dessert duty where ever I go. It comes with the food blogging territory. Not that I mind it, as I do love to bake (as is evident by this blog). The problem was come off of my crazy insane baking run for my dessert party, I was at a bit of a loss on what to make. Of course, it doesn’t help that I’m baking in someone else’s kitchen, using their ingredients and equipment. Luckily AJ’s brother and sister-in-law have a well-stocked and well-equipped larder. Man, I wish I had a pro-range stove and oven like they do. A quick trip to Whole Foods and I found myself staring at a pile of apples and pears in my cart. The apple pear cobbler recipe practically made itself.
AJ’s brother Jeff and his wife Cathy fed all of us well (including AJ’s niece Rachel who was also at dinner) with roasted pork and Brussels sprouts. It was good to eat some greens as I felt like I had been on an all-meat diet during our trip to the Midwest. Not something I normally complain about, but you know, everything in moderation. Of course this happens every year when I go back to Indiana, you’d think I’d remember that.
Whipping up a cobbler is pretty easy, and in the cold weather of the Midwest, it seemed appropriate. In fact, I realized the last time I made a cobbler was when I was in the Midwest over the summertime. Apparently cobbler and Midwest go hand-in-hand in my mind. Maybe it’s the comfort of the sweet drop biscuits over the fruit or ease of making it in someone else’s home that drives me to immediately go to cobbler-land. Or maybe it’s just because I know that pretty much any household will have all the ingredients available for a cobbler. Either way, my apple pear cobbler seemed to be the perfect way to end the meal with family.
Apple Pear Cobbler
By Irvin Lin
Everyone (including myself) always talks about how much they love summer fruit, with the glorious peaches, berries and plums bursting with flavor. But the earthy comfort of winter fruit has its place as well. A mix of apples (try to get a bunch of varieties like Granny Smith, Jonagold, Golden Delicious and Gala) as well as a mix of pears (Bartlett, Comice, D’Anjou, Bosc) give the fruit filling great texture for every bite. I threw in some cranberries as well to brighten the plate and because I love the tart little berries. Finally I was lucky to find a bag of Meyer lemons at the store. Meyer lemons are a cross between lemons and oranges and have a sweet pungent smells and flavor. I adore them but if you can’t find them, just substitute regular lemons in their place.
Ingredients
Filling
2 1/2 lbs apples (a variety of them, see headnote above)
3 lbs pears (a variety of them, see headnote above)
1 1/2 cups cranberries
2 Meyer lemons (or regular lemons, see headnote above)
3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (35 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Cobbler biscuit
1 3/4 cup (245 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (90 g) cornmeal
1/4 cup (50 g) white granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, refrigerator cold
3/4 cup whole milk
Biscuit topping
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Butter a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish. Peel, core and dice the apples and pears into 1-inch chunks, placing the fruit into a large glass bowl. Add the cranberries and zest and juice the Meyer lemons into the bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and toss together with a large spatula. Pour into the casserole dish, scraping out any juice that remains at the bottom of the bowl. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
2. While the fruit is baking, make the cobbler biscuit by placing the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using a balloon whisk, stir vigorously until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cut the butter into small 1/2 inch chunks and sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, smash and toss the butter pieces into the dry ingredients, until they are reduced to small bits, about the size of peas. Place the bowl in the fridge.
3. Once the cobbler fruit filling is nearly done baking for the 30 minutes, pull the cobbler biscuit bowl out of the fridge and drizzle the milk over it. Toss until the dough starts to clump together. Remove the hot baking pan from the oven and, using a large spoon, drop biscuit sized portions of dough over the hot filling, leaving some space between biscuits, until the top is covered with dough. Brush the whole milk over the dough and then sprinkle over the dough with sugar. Place back in the oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the edges of the cobbler biscuits start to turn golden brown.
Makes 1 cobbler, serves 12 people.
If you like this cobbler recipe, check out some of my other cobbler recipes:
Apricot and Berry Cobbler
Sweet Cherry, Black Plum and Yellow Peach Cobbler
And check out these awesome cobbler recipes from around the web:
Gluten Free Girl’s Strawberry Cobbler, Gluten Free
Honey and Jam’s Apple Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits
Savory Sweet Life’s Nutella Chocolate Cobbler
Lottie + Doof’s Tomato Cobbler
Taste and Tell’s Pumpkin Cobbler
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I need to bake more with fruit in the winter and this is such an inspiration! Yum!
Claudia says
Apples and pears are such a great combination. I read years ago that slipping a pear or 2 in, makes a good apple pie great. Mixing up the varieties adds a whole new level. And love the fresh cranberries here!
Jane, The Heritage Cook says
I am now craving a cobbler and will no doubt be making a trek to Whole Foods soon! Thanks for another lovely recipe and story Irvin. You never fail to impress us!
Miss Kim @ behgopa says
Yummy! Delicious looking first post to kick off 2014!
Mary@SiftingFocus says
Irvin, cobblers and the Midwest definitely go hand in hand, and in my mind, cobblers are also synonymous with the summertime when berries and stone fruits are at their peak. But, it makes perfect sense that they would also be warm and inviting baked with winter fruits. What better dessert to enjoy while trying to survive cold and snowy nights wherever you live.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
I’d say cobbler is very comforting, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it on my dinner plate. This recipe looks wonderful. Pinned.
sandra stewart says
should you refrigarate ?
sandra stewart says
should you refrigareate?
Sophie Nylor says
Amazing looking cobbler! And the receipt isn’t hard to follow, going to try this this weekend thanks for the guide 😉