Fresh Peach Cobbler with Crumble Topping

One fruit I’m particularly fond of during the summer season is peaches. Not only are they deliciously sweet on their own, but peaches are also the star ingredient in my favorite summertime dessert. With this fuzzy fruit now available by the bucket full at our farmers’ market, I recently christened our kitchen with the first peach cobbler of the year.

This recipe is my go-to summertime dessert. It’s effortless, rustic, and a crowd pleaser. If you really want to get those mouths salivating, top off individual servings of cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, toasted slivered almonds, and a sprinkle of lemon zest. You can channel your inner Emeril Lagasse and let out a “BAM!” as you sprinkle those toasted almonds on top.

Here are a few side notes before you get started. I typically use a shallow baking dish that’s approximately 8”x5”; you wouldn’t want your layers of peaches spread too thin. I recommend using fresh, ripe peaches for your cobbler – the juicier, the better. The peach juice will bubble up into goodness once baked. If your peaches are firm to the touch, storing them in a brown paper bag should help ripen the fruit quicker. I also like to peel my peaches before baking them, but you’re welcome to keep the skins on if you prefer. You won’t end up using all of the spice blend (sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg) on the cobbler. I like to store the leftovers in an airtight container. They will come in handy for the next cobbler you make!

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Fresh Peach Cobbler with Crumble Topping

Yield: 6-8

Author: Julia Darling

Ingredients

• 8-10 peaches
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/3 cup of dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of flour for the crumble topping, and reserve a little bit more for layering on top of peaches
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/3 cup of unsalted butter (approx. 5 tablespoons), cut into cubes
• Juice from 1 lemon; reserve the lemon for the zest as well

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Peel and slice the peaches, setting them aside in a large bowl.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Squeeze the juice from one lemon into a small bowl or cup and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup of flour, baking soda, and brown sugar. Add the butter into the bowl and toss to coat the pieces in the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, or your fingers, break up the butter into small pieces. The pieces can be a little smaller or larger than the size of a dime. They don’t have to be perfectly uniform in size. Set aside.
6. Put a layer of peaches on the bottom of an ungreased baking dish.
7. Using a small spoon, sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the peaches.
8. Next, pour half of the lemon juice on top of the peaches.
9. Using a small spoon, lightly sprinkle some flour on top of the first layer.
10. Place the remaining peaches in the baking dish to form the second layer.
11. Repeat layering: start with the cinnamon and sugar mixture, remaining half of the lemon juice, and a sprinkle of flour on top of the second layer.
12. To add the crumble topping: Take a handful of the butter and flour mixture, and squeeze it in your hand to form ball. Crumble that ball into large pieces on top of the peaches. Continue to squeeze first-fulls of the crumble topping together in your hand and crumble on top of the peaches until you’ve used it all. Place in the oven and bake for approx. 40 minutes until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Let it cool before serving.
13. While the cobber is baking, toast the slivered almonds in a small pan over low heat for about 5-10 minutes. The almonds will become fragrant once toasted and their color will turn a light brown (not burned).
14. Serve cobbler in individual bowls topped with vanilla ice cream, slivered almonds, and lemon zest.