Summer is sadly coming to end and I have to admit I find it harder and harder to watch the sun set earlier knowing that the cool weather will be coming in and the shorter days are around the corner. Here in San Francisco our seasons are a little askew, and often our warmest weather is in September and October, but it doesn’t help that the summer fruit that I love so much are slowly fading away at the markets. With that in mind I offer you this summer stone fruit cobbler to keep you company as your nights lengthen, before the fruit completely disappears for another nine months.
Late Summer Stone Fruit Cobbler
I made this cobbler a few weeks ago for one of my dessert parties and out of the 20 desserts I made it was a popular one. One of the key ingredients in the cobbler filling is white wine (you know how much I love my booze in my desserts). The white wine really adds a complexity to the juicy stone fruit, mingling them together, like a gathering of new and old friends from different worlds, all miraculously getting along.
One of the best part of this dish is that you can make it fairly fast, just cut up the fruit, mix it with the filling ingredients and stick in the oven. While it cooks, make the cobbler topping, and then add it 20 minutes in to cooking. Pull it out and you have a comforting dessert, perfect for a large group. The bright red filling contrasts gorgeously with the golden brown cobbler topping, inviting everyone to take a scoop.
Late Summer Stone Fruit Cobbler
I’m sad that summer is over, it seemed to go in a blink, but I look forward the fall, with the apples and pears and then the holidays afterwards. But I’m jumping ahead, something that AJ is often telling me not to do. So, I’ll stay in the moment and just eat a little late summer stone fruit cobbler while I can.
Late Summer Stone Fruit Cobbler
You’ll notice that the filling of this cobbler has a touch of honey and that’s it. If your fruit isn’t as sweet, feel free to add a little more honey, but having less sweetener means the fruit flavors can shine more.
Filling
5 lbs of summer stone fruit (plums, pluots, apricots, peaches, nectarines, whatever you want)
1 1/2 cups white wine
75 g (1/2 cup) all purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extact
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Cobbler Topping
300 g (2 cups) all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup plain yogurt (whole milk preferred)
plus extras sugar to sprinkle on top
1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F and spray a 9” x 13” glass or ceramic baking dish with a neutral flavored cooking spray.
2. Slice and pit the stone fruit and the place in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining filling ingredients and toss to coat. Pour into the baking dish and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
3. While the fruit filling is baking, make the cobbler topping by placing the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large mixing bowl. Taking a balloon whisk, vigorously stir to evenly distribute the ingredients.
4. Cut the butter into 1/4” cubes and sprinkle over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, first toss the butter in the dry ingredients to coat, then smash and squeeze the butter to flatten and break it up. Continue the squeeze the butter and flour together until it starts to look shaggy and crumbly. Add the yogurt and fold into topping with a large spatula (or your hand if you want to get more messy).
5. Once the fruit filling has baked for 20 minutes, pull it out of the oven and form round biscuits and place them on top, spaced about 1/2” apart. Sprinkle some sugar on top (I don’t really measure at this point, I just sort of grab some sugar and sprinkle it over the topping).
6. Place back in the oven and bake for another 18 to 20 minutes or until the cobbler topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.
Magpie's Recipes says
mmm now I’m craving some cobbler too! I’d better hurry before all the peaches and plums are gone! Would love to see all the other desserts on that table 🙂
Run Fast Travel Slow says
Your cobbler looks delicious and I’m happy to see late summer fruit…. there will be plenty of time for apple pie and other fall desserts later! Here in Boston, we’re between seasons too…. it’s cooling off a little and the college students are all back in town.
Maria says
This is my kind of cobbler! Love all of the fruits involved! Nice work!
kickpleat says
I’ve added whisky in a fruit cobbler before (uh, freaking amazing), but I like your more sophisticated take. Yum.
merri says
that one was tasty, my very favorites though, were the pies!! But i love fruit desserts in any form. im excited about our warm weather this month.
Jessica Sollenberger says
Just made this again because its that time of year! I am in LOVE. My favorite part of this recipe, besides the wine, is how fluffy and light the topping gets. I literally had to walk it over to the neighbors because I could not stop eating it. I left a fork in the pan so I could have a bite every time I walked by. Thank you for the great recipe! 🙂