Simple Summer Dessert

Use the Season's Finest Fruit and Bake Individual Peach Cobblers

Jul 8, 2007

Peaches and cobbler go hand-in-hand. Bake peach cobbler in individual custard cups and give everyone a chance to savor the sweetness of a summer peach.

Flushed yet seductive, sweet as syrup yet full-bodied in flavor, peaches are the prize jewels of summer fruit. In order to really appreciate the nuances in flavor and texture, you must sample a ripe peach. Fresh picked straight from the branch in late August and early September, they are full of sugar sweetness yet still warm from the summer sun.

Timing is of the essence when it comes to peaches; unlike other fruits, peaches store all of their sugars while on the tree and once they're picked, they will not continue to accumulate sugars. That's why picking your own is so wonderful, since you can sample its full flavor at the height of maturity. However, if you're not able to eat a freshly picked peach immediately, store it in the refrigerator or in a cool place. And don't forget to handle carefully--peaches bruise easily.

Peaches are rather finicky fruits to grow, as any orchadist can relate. The trees will grow only in certain geographic areas, namely along the coastal shores of the Eastern Atlantic, along the Great Lakes in southern Michigan or in the Central Valley region of California. They're suspectible to stone fruit diseases and abhor poor soil conditions. But many fruit growers still say that peaches are worth growing, even if they require the patience and care they desire. In return, they yield ripe rewards for those willing to coddle and nurture them.

In celebration of peaches, you can bake these tasty Individual Peach Cobblers that will allow everyone to have their own "cup-of-cobbler" to savor the sweet taste of summer peaches.

For the Topping:

For the Filling:

2. To make the topping, in a large bowl whisk together the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the milk; stir just until a dough begins to form in the bowl.

3. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the peaches; toss to combine. Divide the peaches among four 8-ounce custard cups or ceramic ramekins; transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

4. Drop the topping dough onto the peaches in the custard cups, using about 1/3 cup of dough for each custard cup. Sprinkle the dough with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes; serve warm.

The copyright of the article Simple Summer Dessert in Dessert Recipes is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish Simple Summer Dessert in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.