Peach and Raspberry Cornmeal Cobbler

A friend recently brought me a carton of Ontario peaches, and a quick perusal of the interwebs told me that my gifted peaches wanted to share the limelight with some raspberries in this sunny cobbler.
Fruit desserts, like this one are perfect for summer when you want something quick and easy to use up seasonal produce. You can toss together the fruit with some sugar, starch and lemon juice, top with a quick and easy biscuit recipe and you've cobbled together (if you will) a bubbling pan of comfort food-y goodness without much effort but for a lot of payoff.
This recipe is best eaten fresh out of the oven with some vanilla ice cream or yogurt, so that the biscuit topping doesn't lose its magic when it is stored for a few days. That's not to say you can't reheat it, but there is nothing like a warm peach cobbler and the anticipation leading up to it, when it's fresh from the oven. Trust me on this, I speak no lies.



Cornmeal biscuits are everything that is good and wonderful about both biscuits and cornbread. The recipe results in a faintly sweet, lemon scented biscuit that is crispy on top, but so tender it's almost cake-like on the inside. Breaking into the biscuit-layer the crackly yellow topping parts to reveal a saucy peach -raspberry filling. Peaches and raspberries complement each other so well, its a classic pairing, like a peach melba kinda thing. The baked fruit turns pink and orange the colours blending together like a sunset under yellow cornmeal clouds.



Peach and Raspberry Cornmeal Cobbler

makes 8 servings
dairy

• 7 cups firm ripe peaches, pitted and peeled and sliced
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juiceC

Cornmeal Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup milk

1. In a large bowl toss together peaches, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice: scrape into 8-inch square baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, soda and salt. Using pastry blender cut in butter until crumbly. Drizzle with milk stirring t form a soft sticky dough. Drop topping by tablespoon onto peach mixture.
3. bake in 375 degree F oven until bubbly and biscuits are golden and no longer doughy underneath when lifted, about 50minutes to 1 hour.

adapted from: Canadian Living August 2009