Bear's Peach Cobbler

I had a seriously large amount of surplus peaches this past week, so made some jam, and then since we were going on a family reunion to a cabin in Heber City, UT, I brought more peaches and made a cobbler.  I pulled out my book "The Sweet Melissa Baking Book" by Melissa Murphy and decided to use the recipe for Bear's Peach Cobbler.  The dough called for lemon zest and to be rolled and cut into biscuit shapes.  This intrigued me quite a bit.  


I have to say I absolutely positively LOVED this recipe!  The lemon zest in the biscuits is INCREDIBLE!  I {HEART} lemon zest flavors though.  I can't say the dough was easy since I had taken my mobile pantry with me and didn't have room to bring my food processor to do the manual labor.  Though, next time I'll use it and it will  whip up in a cinch!  Really, the only time consuming part was the blanching and peeling of the peaches.  Which I just prefer to do.  You don't even need to peel the peaches unless you want to.  


I did make a couple of changes to the recipe.  I used salted butter instead of unsalted.  Mainly because I forgot my unsalted at home and didn't want the dough to be too salty.  I also baked it in a 9x13 pan and doubled the cobbler topping...A MUST if you're a topping lover like me!
 
Bear’s Peach Cobbler
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients for the cobbler topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I omitted because I forgot my unsalted butter and used salted instead)
2 tablespoons sugar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon whole milk or heavy cream, for glazing
Ingredients for the peach filling:
6 cups peeled, sliced, ripe peaches (bout 3 1/2 pounds)
Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and zest. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. Little by little stir in the heavy cream until dough starts to hold together (a bit more cream may be used if needed).
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat dough together to form a round about 1/2-inch thick. Using a lightly floured 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (I just a heart cookie cutter) to cut the dough into 7 to 8 biscuits. 

3. Place biscuits on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil and refrigerate loosely covered with plastic wrap, while you make the filling or until you are ready to use.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and butter a 2-quart ovenproof deep-dish pan. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil.
5. To make the filling, stir together peach slices, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl.


Pour peach mixture into prepared dish.

Place the biscuits evenly on top of the peach mixture and brush with milk. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.  

6. Place dish on the lined cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through. Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving. This cobbler should be eaten the day it is baked. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.  

Fresh Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler...in an oven, you say!? YES! I know it goes against all that I have known a peach cobbler to be. As a youngster, I remember dutch oven cooking on campouts and the BEST EVER peach cobblers, cooked in a dutch oven. Fast forward many years and you get me, Lisa. Lover of all baked foods! And, well, while this one wasn't cooked in a dutch oven and doesn't have that special smoky touch from the charcoals, this version does rank right up there with the best!

Normally I use canned peaches because, lets face it, as a mom of two kids, it's easier. But, alas (boy do I use a lot of commas!), I'm turning over a "new leaf". I have always LOVED baking and cooking and such, but now I really want to dive right on in! So, hold onto your shorts, 'cause Gourmified fans....HERE I COME! Okay, okay, off my soap box. Back to peaches. I love getting fresh yummy produce at a great price, so as member of a produce co-op I decided this time around to get the big 27-lb box of California peaches! I had all kinds of grand-e-oso plans of what I wanted to do with this gigantic box of peaches. Canning, jams & jellies, homemade ice cream, eating, etc. Of all these, eating was the only one that took place. We LOVE peaches! I did manage to save a few to make this Peach cobbler, and I'm so glad I did! My friend Holly (a.k.a. Phe/Mom/enon) pointed me in the direction of this recipe from Epicurious. Can I just say FANTASTIC!

At Holly's suggestion, I made the topping recipe at 1 1/2 times the amount listed instead of just a single batch. The peaches were delicious, though next time I make this I'll be adding a little bit of cinnamon to the peach mix since I feel it needed just a little something more. I also sprinkled sugar on top of the dough before putting it in the oven because, really, sugar is oh so yummy and I LOVE the look it gives the finished product!