Tuesdays with Dorie: Mixed Berry Cobbler
June 24, 2008 at 5:04 am | Posted in cobbler/crisp/shorties, groups, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 46 Comments
I figure that I’ll have to opt out of a few TWD recipes between the months of June and August. While it’s prime fruit and berry season up in the Northern Hemisphere, a packet of raspberries or blueberries would pretty much bankrupt me here ($15 for skinny plastic packet of raspberries and $11 for blueberries at my local produce shop– ouch!!). Beth of Our Sweet Life may have chosen Mixed Berry Cobbler for this week’s TWD recipe, but I’m not SOL just yet becasue luckily Dorie designed this one to use frozen berries. Those I have plenty of!
Even though my berry fears were assuaged, I was still a little apprehensive about this recipe. Lots of TWDers who made it early in the week thought that the topping was bland and disappointing. Shoot– I didn’t want to be let down, but I was also curious as to what I’d think of it. I will say that I made one change to Dorie’s ingredient list, and I really only did this because we are moving over the weekend. She uses heavy cream to bind the cobbler topping together, but I used sour cream. Even though we’re just moving locally, I’ve been trying hard to use up what I have already, rather than add to the stuff in the fridge. Anyway, it worked really well as a substitution (and probably gave the topping a flavor-boost as well). I also sprinkled a little raw sugar over the topping before I popped in the oven. I like the extra sweetness and bit of crunch it gives, so I almost always do this with pie crusts and cobbler toppings.
Maybe I’m just not that picky, but I really liked the simplicity of this dessert. I’m sure it would great with a hit of vanilla or cinnamon in the topping, but I thought it was good as is, too. The biscuit-style crust is buttery and homey, and my berries were just sweet enough to make the whole thing taste like summer. A little vanilla ice cream doesn’t hurt much either. And you know what else? I think it’s really beautiful with the purpley-pink juices running everywhere!
One last note: I only wanted three portions, so I cut the recipe back to one-third the original size and put it in a small (about six-inch) square ceramic baker. It took just under 40 minutes for the top to be golden and the berries to be bubbly.
Thanks Beth! As always, the recipe’s in Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, but she also has it here on NPR’s website as part of an interview she did for All Things Considered. And don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!
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We still have Monday, so my post isn’t already online. This was my first cobbler in my life and I agree it tastes like summer!
Ulrike from Küchenlatein
Comment by Ulrike aka ostwestwind— June 24, 2008 #
Mmm. Looks delicious! I wish I had thought to sprinkle sugar over the top… I bet that made it perfect!
Comment by Amanda— June 24, 2008 #
I love that bright purpley color yours produced. Gorgeous. I am just about to cook mine up. Im a late starter this week. (Who am I kidding, every single week…)
Fab Job Steph!
Comment by slush— June 24, 2008 #
it looks delicious! i love the way the sugar makes it look a bit sparkly on top. your ice cream scoop is so perfect 🙂
Comment by kim— June 24, 2008 #
Wow – so pretty! And even though berries are in season here, I went with frozen too. I agree that the simplicity of this dessert was a prime selling point.
Comment by Caitlin— June 24, 2008 #
Great looking cobbler!! I was relieved about the frozen berries too!!
Comment by Tara— June 24, 2008 #
Your cobbler looks so good! Perfect with ice cream 🙂
Comment by Erin— June 24, 2008 #
You captured the color and texture contrasts I loved about this recipe just perfectly in your photographs. Great job!
Comment by Dolores— June 24, 2008 #
Your cobbler looks great. I made mine smaller too. I’m glad you liked it.
Comment by Amy P— June 24, 2008 #
that looks delicious! I enjoyed the pudding as well
Comment by Tammy— June 24, 2008 #
Steph, I have given you an award http://weetreatsbytammy.blogspot.com/2008/06/twd-mixed-berry-cobbler.html
Comment by Tammy— June 24, 2008 #
looks perfect! i agree – i must not be too picky either – i enjoyed the crust!
Comment by Jaime— June 24, 2008 #
Sour cream sounds like a great sub in. Your slice with the ice cream looks astoundingly good.
Comment by rainbowbrown— June 24, 2008 #
Beautiful. I love the ice cream in its own little dish! 🙂
Comment by carrie— June 24, 2008 #
Looks absolutely fabulous!!
Comment by Holly @ PheMOMenon— June 24, 2008 #
I guess I didn’t pay attention to the problems with this recipe post as I didn’t know taste had been an issue. Yours looks great, I especially like the sugar topping.
Comment by Jenny— June 24, 2008 #
congrats on the new place! hope the move goes smoothly!
Comment by Amanda— June 24, 2008 #
Beautiful looking fruit filling (love the intense pink/purple color)! I’m in agreement with you…I really liked the simplicity of this crust. As usual, your photos are gorgeous!
Comment by Linda— June 24, 2008 #
Your cobbler looks delicious! I like the addition of the sugar on top. I agree, though, that the simplicity of the topping was very nice.
Comment by Di— June 24, 2008 #
I love these types of desserts. Great for family dinners. 🙂
Comment by Gigi— June 24, 2008 #
Looks great. I had the same feelings about the crust. I guess I am not picky…when it comes to cobbler.
Comment by Kelly D— June 24, 2008 #
The sour cream was a great idea.
Comment by peabody— June 24, 2008 #
Fabulous job
Comment by Landa— June 24, 2008 #
Looks great and sounds like it tasted great, too. The sour cream sounds tempting…may have to try that next time. I left the sugar off the top as I usually do that with pies, too, and it was still very good and crunchy. Great photos.
Comment by Kayte— June 24, 2008 #
I liked the crust as well. Beautiful photos! I like the raw sugar idea.
Comment by Natashya— June 24, 2008 #
Your cobbler looks so tasty. I love, Love, LOVE the colour!!! I was quite happy with this cobbler myself, especially served warm with some nice ice cream!
Comment by Marie— June 24, 2008 #
Yours looks beautiful!
Comment by Jessica— June 24, 2008 #
It’s beautiful! Your photos are fantastic!!
Comment by Tarah— June 25, 2008 #
That little dish of cobbler looks so cute! I halved my recipe and baked it individual ramekins, and the only tweak I made was to up the salt in the biscuit (used the full recipe salt measurement for the half recipe). I thought it turned out perfectly, so I’m kinda wondering where all this hoo-ha about bland biscuit topping came from?
Comment by mari— June 25, 2008 #
The color and the photos looked great! How was it with the sour cream! I like that idea a lot. And… what’s up with the price of those berries! WOW!
Nice work!
Comment by Teanna— June 25, 2008 #
good luck with the move – what a troopr…baking in the midst of that! great idea with the sour cream, too – leave it to you!
Comment by Susan— June 25, 2008 #
just beautiful!!
Comment by Lauren— June 25, 2008 #
lookit those yummy berries…mmmm!!!! i threw mango into mine and it was a surprise tasty!
Comment by Mara— June 25, 2008 #
Your cobbler looks perfect and the ice cream yum! I used frozen berries too and liked how it came out! Great idea to substitute the sour cream. Good luck on the move
Comment by Christine— June 25, 2008 #
Soon I’m going to need a direct line with this beautiful blog of yours, Steph! Everytime I visit… I’m amazed!
Your pictures are just soooo clear, so true to life (I guess LOL) …it feels like being a mouse tiptoeing around your kitchen, through the dishes and goodies you bake!!! LOL (can you hear the sound of Flintstones’ toes just about to bowl that ball??? LOL LOL LOL)
P.s.: I would love to hear about your experience at the wailing wall! …and just in case you didn’t figure it out, my post was made to be a homage to the French homonyms MÛRE being a blackberrie and MUR being a wall…
That’s an great cobbler you’ve baked! wow.
Comment by Vibi— June 25, 2008 #
Cobblers are great for using up whatever happens to be on hand. I will tuck your sour cream pastry suggestion away to use myself.
Comment by Carol Peterman— June 25, 2008 #
No berries around here either, Steph – it’s winter, just like in Sydney.
Your cobbler looks fantastic!
Comment by Patricia Scarpin— June 26, 2008 #
the juices are the best color ever. gorgeous! and huzzah for frozen fruit!
i can’t wait until it’s peach picking time around here. PEACH COBBLER UP THE WAZOO!!
Comment by michelle— June 26, 2008 #
The colors are beautiful – nice job!! 🙂
Comment by hornedfroggy— June 26, 2008 #
Yours looks so yummy!!
Comment by Amanda— June 26, 2008 #
yum! Looks delicious! Great job!
Comment by Heather B— June 26, 2008 #
Sheez-I’m so glad you went with the frozen berries. It would have been a 30 buck dessert with the fresh. It looks wonderful!
Comment by Prudy— June 26, 2008 #
Sour cream is such a good idea to sub! Used vanilla yogurt here, it was every bit as good as cream.
Comment by lemontartlet— June 26, 2008 #
I love the idea of sour cream instead of heavy cream! And the sprinkle of raw sugar sounds perfect! Amazing.
Comment by Shari@Whisk: a food blog— June 27, 2008 #
All I can say is Go-jus!!!! I like the substitution of sour cream – takes the fat down a little and love love love the mixed berries. This one is a winner.
Comment by giz— June 27, 2008 #
Those berry prices are outrageous! But those pics are awesome, looks delicious!
Comment by brilynn— June 29, 2008 #