Peach Cobbler with a Hot Sugar Crust
Hi there! How is your summer going? Ours has been a busy one, and fortunately the weather finally turned in CT so we have had some gorgeous weekends. This past week end was pretty close to perfect and a great one to try a recipe I have had my eye on for a few weeks – peach cobbler with a hot sugar crust. I honestly think this is one of the best recipes I have made in a very long time.
This method brings out a crackly sugar crust yet a tender inside to the topping. The fruit just has a bit of lemon and a tiny bit of sugar (which you may not need depending on the fruit you use. I adapted the recipe from chef Renee Erickson’s version and had read about it in the 5 Star Weekend by Elin Hildebrand (she is a great food writer too!). If you have read my blog you know I am partial to fruit desserts – my apple crisp is on repeat all fall, and the blueberry bars are too during the summer. This recipe for peach cobbler with a hot sugar crust will be added to that list!
Ingredients for Peach Cobbler with a Hot Sugar Crust
In addition to spectacular results, I also really liked that the ingredient list was simple. Flour, butter, milk and sugar with some baking powder and a bit of salt. The filling is lemon juice, peaches and a tablespoon of sugar. I also added some blueberries and a plum I had that was not going to keep for much longer in a second batch. I made two dishes in 8 by 8 pans. I made the fruit cobbler in the morning and then heated it up right before dinner after we had been at our club all day. I served it warm with Turkey Hill’s Cookie Butter Ice cream on the side. It was delectable! So here is my version of Peach Cobbler with a Hot Sugar Crust.
Peach Cobbler with a Hot Sugar Crust
Equipment
- Stand or electric mixer
Ingredients
- 6 to 7 large ripe peaches or a mix of plums, blueberries and peaches
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup hot water
- Ice cream for serving (if you can find cookie butter flavor I highly recommend!)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F with rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Arrange the peaches in a 9 by 13-inch or two 8 by 8 baking pans.
- Cut the lemon in half and squeeze lemon juice over the top. If your peaches and/or fruit is not at ideal sweetness – sprinkle an extra tablespoon of sugar over the fruit.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar on medium speed until creamy but still crumbly, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat on medium speed until all the flour is mixed in and the mixture is evenly crumbly, about 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Scoop the batter in about 6 large blobs over the peaches. With the back of a big spoon, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit so it’s no more than about 1/2 inch thick in any one place.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the batter. Drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar, using it to melt the sugar topping. Trust me – this part seems counter intuitive…just go with it!
- Set the pan on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake the cobbler until the top is golden brown and cracked about an hour. A toothpick stuck in the topping should come out clean or with just crumbs clinging—be sure to check in a few places.
- Let the cobbler cool for about 30 minutes to firm up (if you can wait that long!).
- Enjoy!
