Peach Cobbler Image Used Under Creative Commons License From wishesndishes.com

Citizens! Few things in this or any other life are as satisfying as this delicious and classic American dessert! 🙂

As noted on whatscookingamerica.net:

Cobbler – Cobblers are an American deep-dish fruit dessert or pie with a thick crust (usually a biscuit crust) and a fruit filling (such as peaches, apples, berries). Some versions are enclosed in the crust, while others have a drop-biscuit or crumb topping.

Cobblers have been and are still called by various names such as cobbler, tart, pie, torte, pandowdy, grunt, slump, buckles, crisp, croustade, bird’s nest pudding or crow’s nest pudding. They are all simple variations of cobblers, and they are all based on seasonal fruits and berries, in other words, whatever fresh ingredients are readily at hand. They are all homemade and simple to make and rely more on taste than fancy pastry preparation.

Early settlers of America were very good at improvising. When they first arrived, they bought their favorite recipes with them, such as English steamed puddings. Not finding their favorite ingredients, they used whatever was available. That is how all these traditional American dishes came about with such unusual names.

Early colonist were so fond of these juicy dishes that they often served them as the main course, for breakfast, or even as a first course. It was not until the late 19th century that they became primarily desserts.

Now what is the history of all this? From everything I have read, cobblers seem to be a variation of the “pie” or “pye.”

All of these cobblers have some common element. Nearly every one involves fruit, butter, sugar and flour in one way or another.

Citizens, my version of the classic Southern peach cobbler incorporates several tropical flavors such as passionfruit, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla (plus a hint of good American bourbon!) and a streusel crumb toppping with marzipan and almond extract – it is without any doubt whatsoever the ULTIMATE peach cobbler!

Battle on – The Generalisimo

The Hirshon Tropical Peach Cobbler

Print Recipe

Scale

Ingredients

Crust:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
½ egg, whisked
1/8 cup cold water
Filling:
3 pounds fresh totally ripe peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced
¼ cup lemon juice
¾ cup Ceres or Loosa-brand Passion Fruit juice
½ cup butter
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon best-quality bourbon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
To Dot Topping:
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Streusel Topping:
8 ounces almond paste
1 pound sugar
8 ounces shortening
10 ounces butter
1 teaspoon almond extract
12 ounces flour
4 ounces corn meal

Instructions

In a mixer with paddle attachment, combine the almond paste, sugar, shortening and butter. Blend until smooth. Add almond extract, flour and corn meal until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until well chilled.
Sift flour, 3 tablespoons sugar and salt into a medium bowl. Work in shortening with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and cold water. Sprinkle over flour mixture and work with hands to form dough into a ball. Chill in refrigerator 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness and place in a 9×13 inch baking dish, covering bottom and halfway up sides. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Combine peaches, lemon and passion fruit juice in large saucepan. Add ½ cup butter and the bourbon and cook over medium low heat until butter is melted. In a separate bowl, combine white and brown sugar, nutmeg and cornstarch. Stir into heated peach mixture, then remove from heat. Add vanilla and stir.
Pour peach mixture into baked crust. Top with grated topping – you probably won’t need all of it. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Serve topped with a scoop of your best real vanilla bean ice cream!