Peach and raspberry cobbler

Cosy and rustic, but still a little fancy with the spiral top, this old-school pudding is like a fruit stew with dumplings — soft, warm and very comforting.

Some dishes really don’t sound very appetising. I can only assume that’s why you rarely hear about this self-saucing pudding anymore, but I think it’s about time we brought it back.

A cobbler is like a pretty cousin of a crumble and lends itself to just about any kind of fruit, be it fresh, frozen or tinned.

Here, I’ve used a combination of frozen raspberries and fresh peaches to mirror the flavours of a Rekorderlig cider (my fiancée is a big fan). The dumplings are then rolled into spirals and carefully arranged on top of partially-stewed fruit.

After 25-30 minutes in the oven, the dumplings will be light, golden and fluffy while the peaches and raspberries will turn beautifully jammy and syrupy, kind of like a loose fruit compote or jam that hasn’t fully set.

Serve with ice cream for a beautifully indulgent summer pudding.

How To Make Peach And Raspberry Cobbler

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Peach and raspberry cobbler
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Use fresh or frozen fruit: Fresh is best when in season, but frozen tends to be cheaper and there’s no need to thaw it either. Simply toss in a little cornflour to absorb the extra liquid.
• Mix up the flavour combinations: Raspberry and peach are a classic combo, but apple and blackberry, rhubarb and ginger, or cherry and dark chocolate all work wonderfully too. You could even add a little liquor or bourbon if you want to make it really fancy and grown-up.
• Don’t over mix the dumpling dough: Overdoing it makes dense dumplings instead of fluffy ones. Mix until just combined and make sure you leave a little space between each dumpling when assembling. This will allow steam to escape the filling so you’re not left with a soggy bottom.
• Bake until bubbling: The fruit should be frothing around the edges — that’s how you know it’s cooked and nicely thickened. You can cover the top loosely with foil if the dumplings are browning too much.

Peach and raspberry cobbler

Serves: 6 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins 35 mins

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Ingredients

50g butter, cut into small pieces, plus 15g melted and extra for greasing the dish
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 oranges, juiced and zest from 1
5 ripe peaches, halved, stoned and thinly sliced
250g fresh or frozen raspberries
200g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground sweet cinnamon
75ml semi-skimmed milk

Instructions

Step 1
Lightly butter a shallow circular dish. Heat a small saucepan and tip in the soft brown sugar, cornflour, orange juice and zest. Mix well.

Step 2
Stir in the raspberries and peach slices and slowly bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and cook gently until the fruit has softened and the sauce is syrupy. Tip into the prepared dish and set aside.

Step 3
In a mixing bowl, rub the butter into the self-raising flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in half the caster sugar and nutmeg. Mix the remaining sugar with the cinnamon and set aside.

Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180C. Add the milk to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.

Step 5
Roll into a thick sausage shape, about 25cm wide. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon sugar. Roll up from one long side and cut into 12 even slices.

Step 6
Arrange the dumplings around the dish in a pinwheel shape, leaving little gaps where possible to allow the steam from the fruit to escape.

Step 7
Bake the cobbler in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving with ice cream or custard.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Will A Cobbler Keep For?

A cobbler is at its best the same day it is made. It will keep in the fridge for around 3 days, but the topping is nowhere near as good or crisp second time round. To reheat, just pop in the microwave for a minute or so.

What’s The Difference Between Self-Raising Flour And Plain Flour?

Self-raising flour has the raising agent already added and helps the mixture rise as it’s baked. To make your own, combine 1 teaspoon of baking powder for every 100g of plain flour.