Peach & Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler with Rum Whipped Cream

Sometimes you drive two and a half hours to pick peaches only to be told that you're not going to be picking any peaches.

No. No peaches for you because everyone else was rude and picked them all.  So you can go back peachless or take the ones the orchard-keepers have picked for you.  Okay, not so bad.

Oh, but you wanted to revisit the spot where you got engaged?  Too bad.  The orchard is closed, because we are fancy enough to be able to close a section of a mountain.  Yes we are.  But please, buy another donut. 

Ok, ok, bye.  

P.S. I'll take half a dozen donuts, please and thank you.  

Though last Saturday's venture was a bit disappointing, the peaches were nonetheless delicious, because we had not picked them ourselves. 

I have been baking and blanching and freezing for days, but this simple cobbler was the most delicious reward, and it made the drive worth every minute. 

I am always looking for new ways to add more texture to my favorite recipes, and ever since I saw Tracy's Raspberry Cobbler I have had cornmeal on the brain. 

I love the subtle, but distinctive crunch that it adds to baked goods. 

Cold butter, cornmeal, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and a bit of all-purpose flour come together in a rough dough after a few pulses. I really love when I can make a crust in my food processor.  

I have had half of a bag of black cherries in my freezer for about two weeks, so I decided to toss them in with the peaches.  Their flavors worked so beautifully together and the colors were more vibrant than my old Lisa Frank notebook. 

I get unreasonably excited at a chance to blanch peaches, but it is just SO MUCH FUN!  Every time I do it and those soft, fuzzy skins peel away with the slightest pull, I am amazed and I have to share my astonishment with whomever is closest. Sometimes that's just snap chat. 

Blanched peaches happen to be really slippery, so be extra careful when slicing. 

One third of the buttery, cornmeal crust is crumbled onto the bottom of the pan, making a bed for our fruit that will soak up an excess juices. 

The remaining crust is pinched into small pieces and sprinkled atop the fruit. 

This would be a good time to line a baking sheet with foil and place it under the rack that you will be baking on.  Bubbling fruit juices have a nasty tendency to drip all over your clean oven. 

After some quality oven time, this cobbler will be bubbling and that cornmeal crust will have reached a lovely shade of golden. 

We could call it a day right now, but I felt as thought this bake was begging for a creamy counterpart. 

Rum whipped cream perfectly fit the bill.  The subtle notes of rum were the perfect compliment to the rich, sugar-kissed fruit.  It's also excellent eaten by the spoonful... 

This was my snack, my dinner, and breakfast the next morning.  It's fruit, so, you know - healthy! 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Peach & Cherry Cornmeal Cobbler with Rum Whipped Cream

serves 6

for the cobbler topping

• 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal 
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 
• 1/4 cup ice water

In the work bowl of your food processor, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon.  Pulse until well-combined.  

Add butter to the flour mixture and pulse several times, until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.  Slowly stream in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing until a rough dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a disc.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for thirty minutes.  

for the filling

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 medium, ripe peaches
• 1 cup black cherries defrosted, if frozen
• 1/2 whole lemon, juiced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a sheet pan lined with foil on the bottom rack.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine cornstarch and granulated sugar.  Toss the fruit in the cornstarch mixture and add lemon juice. 

Divide the chilled dough into thirds and pinch one third into pieces.  Sprinkle in the bottom of 9-inch pie plate.  Cover with the fruit filling.

Crumble the remaining 2/3 of the dough over the top of the fruit.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, on the center rack, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is crisp and evenly browned.  

Allow to cool for about thirty minutes before serving.  While the cobbler is cooling, prepare the cream.

for the rum whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 
• heavy splash of rum 

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream on high speed until it holds soft peaks.  Beat in confectioner’s sugar and rum until just combined. 

Serve atop warm cobbler.  Enjoy! 

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4 Years + The Lazy Lady's Summer Dessert

Four years ago I was listening to "Everybody Talks" on repeat all day, every day.

Four years ago I was deep in a 1950's fashion phase.  Big bows and lots of red lipstick.

Four years ago I spent a whole lot of time in the doctor's office.

Four years ago I had no notion of how to use a camera. 

Four years ago I would have thought this dessert was wayyyy too simple. 

Four years ago I had no interest whatsoever in the man that I am about to marry. 

Four years ago this blog was just beginning in a very inconsistent, Tumblr-like fashion. 

So much changes in a year, nonetheless four years.  I much prefer the person I am today over the lady I was when I first dipped my toes into the internet.  There is still so much I do not know, and I am even more aware of that fact today than I was several years ago.  But, growth is always happening and it's a joy to learn, and grow, and change.  I have learned to be more thankful, more content, and more concerned about meaningful evolution, rather than absolute perfection. 

To celebrate the past few years and the official beginning of Summer, I made us dessert.  The most wonderfully simple, summertime dessert. 

This dessert is your new best friend.  Give it a hug and say hello, because you're going to love this. 

It's incredibly easy and quick to make.  It’s customizable, gluten-free, and can even be vegan (for those of us who have those weird anti-butter friends)!  It is healthy-ish and guaranteed to please kids and adults alike, unless your friends are really weird and do not like fruit, cream, or delicious crunchy toppings.

I really want you to make this dessert because I think it will make you happy.  It’s like a pie, but for cheaters who just want a nice treat after Monday night dinner.

I was running into Trader Joe’s “really quick” the other day, when I noticed that they had just restocked their produce section.  Every angle of my view was billowing with fresh fruits and vegetables at the peak of ripeness, but my gaze fell upon the golden side of the botanical spectrum.

While nectarines and apricots were not on my list, once I gently felt their tender flesh which signaled utter perfection, I could not leave them in their wooden crates - they needed to come home with me.  I was not in the mood for pie-making or crumble-baking that day, I wanted to create the Summer dessert that we all want to eat and actually feel like making after a long, humid day. 

I snatched up a can of coconut cream, because whatever I ended up making would be instantly improved by coconut cream, and walked out of the store with high hopes and more groceries than I had anticipated. 

This dessert does not require any preheating of the oven, a welcome treat for those of us with small kitchens that turn into saunas come summertime.  This crisp-like topping is full of the familiar flavors we love, and it all comes together on the stovetop.  

Oats, shredded coconut, and sliced almonds - though you could really use any nuts that you like - are toasted.

Then, melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon are added, creating a salty-sweet, crunchy topping for our fruit.  

This topping is also a great thing to keep on hand for last minute desserts, or for jazzing up your morning yogurt. 

Now you must make the decision of whether or not you would like to make this dessert vegan.  

If so, just top your warm fruit with a spoonful of coconut cream that you have sweetened with a little bit of honey.  

I chose to go half and half and used a combination of heavy cream and coconut cream.  Coconut cream is a bit rich for me on its own. 

Four years and counting of recipes, ramblings, picture-editing, learning, eating, and utter delight! Thank you so much for spending them with me. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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The Lazy Lady’s Summer Dessert

serves 6 (but you can half, or double, or multiply the heck out of this recipe)

for the topping

- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt 

- 3 tablespoons brown sugar

- 1/4 cup finely shredded, sweetened coconut 

- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 

- 1/4 cup sliced almonds 

- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Use a fork to combine ground cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar in a small bowl. 

Combine coconut, oats, and almonds in a nonstick frying pan and place over medium heat.  Toast, stirring often, until the coconut and almonds are fragrant and deep golden in color.  Add the butter to the pan.  

Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat, and add the brown sugar mixture.  Stir until all the ingredients are well combined and evenly coated.

Spread the crumble topping out onto a piece of parchment paper and allow to cool while you prepare the other components. 

for the fruit*

- 3 ripe nectarines, halved and pitted 

- 6 ripe apricots, halved and pitted 

- 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Set your grill to medium high heat.  

Use a paper towel to coat the grates of the grill with coconut oil.  (You will want to make sure that your grill is nice and clean for this!)

Place the halves of the fruits cut-side down on the grill and cook, covered, for about three minutes.  The fruit should be just slightly softened.

Allow the fruit to cool for several minutes while you prepare the cream. 

*While I used nectarines and apricots, you could really use any semi-firm fruit here.  Peaches, pineapple, or pears would all be great options!  

for the cream & assembly

- 1/2 cup heavy cream 

- 1/2 cup coconut cream

- 1 tablespoon orange blossom honey 

- grilled fruit 

- crumble topping

Place the heavy cream in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.  

Add coconut cream and honey and beat until smooth.

Place several halves of fruit in a bowl and top with a spoonful of cream and several tablespoons of the crumble topping.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy! 

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You may also like...

Strawberry Crisp with Buttermilk Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Go ahead, roll your eyes, I know what you are thinking. 

"She just posted a grilling recipe, then some random collection of links about her favorite things as if she’s Oprah, and now some sort of baked fruit concoction?"

 Pretty darn predictable.  

It would seem that we have all fallen into a trap of blogging predictability.  Maybe everyone is baking the same things right now, and maybe I should try to defy my natural cravings and give you a recipe for homemade kelp chips…  I could do that.  I could sprinkle some nutritional yeast over them and say that they taste just like Cheetos.  Maybe it would end up being a nominee for the most popular pin for vegans.  Maybe.

The reason I have not done that (other than the glaring fact that it sounds positively revolting), is that this ever-changing, but occasionally predictable, site is like my brain come to life, except less stressful and with pretty pictures.  I share with you the things that make me happy, whether they be cream puffs or new lipstick, and that means that sometimes I will just be making a variation on whatever everyone else is making, because we are all craving the same things right now.

This week, my cravings, and the surplus of berries at the market, told me to make something sweet, berry-filled, and crunchy-topped - and I obliged.  And, hackneyed or not, it was absolutely delightful.

This site’s purpose is not to convince you that I make the best corn in the world (even though I might suspect so), or that you simply must use my recipes.  The purpose is simply to inspire you, and to maybe remind you of how satisfying it is to toss some berries with sugar and cornstarch, pinch some butter into oats, nuts, and sticky brown sugar, and watch it turn into a bubbling, golden brown dessert. 

If my imperfect pictures or rambling words tempt you to get into your kitchen and create, then I will consider it a success.

Let’s talk about this crisp, or crumble, or bake - whatever you would like to call it.  Rolled Oat & Pecan-Blanketed Strawberry Compote?  Sure, if you are feeling pretentious and fancy.

If you asked me what I consider to be the best dessert for summertime I will always say crisps.  I love them because they celebrate the flavors of the season, require very minimal effort, and they can be served hot or at room temperature - making them the perfect choice for company.

Toss some fruit together a few minutes before your guests arrive and let this bake while you eat dinner, then serve warm with ice cream.  Everyone loves crisps, and if they don't, well…why did you invite them over anyways?

While crisps could certainly stand on their own, they are really the only dessert that I feel almost demands ice cream.  It pains me to have ice cream with my cake - like, why?  And brownies are far better as a solo act, but crisps... Well, they just beg for it.

And I am nothing if not accommodating - so accommodating, in fact, that I dreamed up a special ice cream expressly for this crisp.  How generous.  

Enter buttermilk cream cheese ice cream.  I called my fiancé after tasting it and between an obnoxious number of “oohs” and “ahhhs” I described it as an ultra creamy frozen yogurt.  It has the same tang of yogurt due to the buttermilk, but the cream cheese gives it a very sweet, rich flavor that only cream can provide.  It has made regular ol’ vanilla ice cream very pallid in my mind.  

 Warm strawberries with a toffee-like crust meet tangy, indulgent ice cream. 

Just look at that crispy crust.  

There is nothing wrong with the classics, not one thing.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

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Strawberry Crisp with Buttermilk Cream Cheese Ice Cream

serves 6

for the ice cream

- 1 cup whole milk

- 2/3 cup granulated sugar

- 4 large egg yolks 

- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 

- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl until they have slightly lightened in color.  Set aside.  

Combine milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat.  Stirring often, cook until the milk is steaming, and the sugar has completely dissolved.

Slowly stream half of the steaming milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly.  Pour the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan and return to heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened slightly; about 3-5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and pour the ice cream base into your blender.  Add buttermilk,  cream cheese, and vanilla and blend until smooth. 

Fill a large bowl 2/3 of the way with ice and cool water and place the ice cream base in a medium bowl that will fit inside the larger bowl.

Place the ice cream bowl into the ice bath and whisk constantly until the custard is cool.  

Place the base in your ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the soft ice cream to the freezer to set up while you prepare the crisp.  

for the filling

- 5 cups strawberries, sliced 

- 4 tablespoons cornstarch 

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 

- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Place strawberries in an 8x8 glass baking pan.  Sprinkle with cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice and toss to coat   

Set aside while you prepare the topping.  

for the topping

- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

- 1/2 cup brown sugar 

- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

- 1/2 cup old fashion rolled oats 

- 1/4 cup whole raw pecans, finely chopped

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Combine flour, sugar, salt, oats, and pecans in a small bowl.  Use the tips of your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture, forming a rough crumble.  

Sprinkle the crumble on top of the strawberry filling.  

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the strawberries are bubbling and the crumble is deep golden.  

Place on a wire rack and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.  This will give the filling time to set up a bit.  

Serve warm with ice cream.  Enjoy!!