Cherry Cobbler

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-by-13-inch baking dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet
• •Cherry pitter
• •Pastry blender or two butter knives
• •Rimmed sheet pan (to catch drips)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the cherry filling

   Preheat your oven to 375°F and position a rack in the center. In a large bowl, combine the pitted cherries with half a cup of sugar, the cornstarch, lemon juice, both extracts, and a pinch of salt. Toss gently until the cornstarch dissolves and the cherries glisten. The lemon juice brightens the fruit's natural tartness while the almond extract whispers of marzipan, a classic companion to stone fruit.

   If using frozen cherries, thaw them completely and drain off excess liquid before measuring. Reserve that ruby juice for cocktails or drizzling over yogurt.
2. 2

   Transfer to baking dish

   Pour the cherry mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Spread the fruit into an even layer. The cherries should cover the bottom generously but not pile high. Set aside while you prepare the biscuit topping.

3. 3

   Mix the dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, one-third cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and half a teaspoon of salt. The combination of baking powder and soda creates biscuits that rise beautifully and develop that characteristic golden crust.

4. 4

   Cut in the butter

   Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces remaining. These butter pockets are essential. They melt in the oven and create steam, producing flaky layers in your biscuit topping.

   If your kitchen is warm, return the butter to the refrigerator for ten minutes before cutting it in. Cold butter is non-negotiable for tender biscuits.
5. 5

   Add the buttermilk

   Stir the almond extract into the cold buttermilk. Pour this mixture over the flour and butter, then fold gently with a spatula until the dough just comes together. It will look shaggy and rough. Do not overmix. The moment you stop seeing dry flour, you stop stirring.

6. 6

   Top the cherries

   Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the cherries, spacing them about an inch apart. You want eight to ten mounds of dough, roughly equal in size. Leave gaps between them. The fruit needs room to bubble up and the biscuits need space to spread. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar generously over the biscuit tops. This creates a crunchy, sparkly crust that shatters when you break through it.

7. 7

   Bake until golden and bubbling

   Place the baking dish on a rimmed sheet pan to catch drips. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the biscuits are deeply golden brown and the cherry filling bubbles vigorously around the edges and through the gaps. The filling must bubble. Unbubbled filling means uncooked cornstarch, which tastes like library paste.

   If the biscuits brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final ten minutes.
8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Remove the cobbler from the oven and let it rest for fifteen to twenty minutes. This allows the filling to thicken slightly and prevents mouth-burning catastrophe. The cherries will still be warm, the biscuits tender. Serve in shallow bowls with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the fruit. Watch the cold cream meet the warm cherries. That contrast is why we make cobbler.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out sour cherries if you can find them. Montmorency or Morello varieties have an intensity that sweet cherries lack. Reduce the lemon juice to one teaspoon and increase the sugar by two tablespoons to compensate for their tartness.
• •A cherry pitter pays for itself in the first use. Without one, you'll spend an hour with stained fingers and a bad attitude. The OXO model with a splatter shield works well.
• •Buttermilk substitution: stir one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into three-quarters cup of whole milk. Let it sit five minutes until slightly thickened.
• •This cobbler reheats beautifully. Cover with foil and warm in a 300°F oven for fifteen minutes. The biscuits lose some crunch but the flavor remains intact.

Advance Preparation

• •The cherry filling can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. Add five minutes to baking time if using cold filling.
• •The dry ingredients for the biscuit topping can be mixed with butter and refrigerated overnight. Add the buttermilk just before assembling.
• •Baked cobbler keeps at room temperature for one day, loosely covered. Refrigerate for up to three days and reheat before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 370g)