Fresh Strawberry Cobbler

Strawberry fields stretch seemingly forever along Monterey Bay, which means we have a plentiful supply of multiple varieties at our local farmer’s markets.  In fact, the majority of strawberries finding their way to American tables come from our California Coastal fields.

In the past I could taste samples and experience the subtle varietal differences between Albion, St. Ann, Rosa’s, Seascape and more, at the farmer’s market, a practice we all hope will return in the future.

It’s little wonder that strawberries are in the top favorites of fruits here.  My toddler Granddaughter will eat them by the fistfuls, feasting on their sweet-tart juiciness until we step in to ration her portion.  Which led to a recent oversupply of strawberries needing to be consumed in a hurry as I over-purchased (or we under-consumed) a half-flat of perfectly ripe fruit that was going to take a bad turn if not used within a day or so.

Strawberry cobbler brings the flavors of strawberry shortcake in a simpler preparation than making individual shortcakes for the same number of servings.  It’s also heartier for transport and serving at summer BBQs and picnics.

A few advance tips

1. Make sure the butter and heavy cream are well chilled. You can also pre-chill the mixing bowl in the freezer if your kitchen is warm.
2. Keep the balls of dough on the smaller side, and don’t overcrowd them. This allows for steam to escape from the bubbling strawberries and ensures the dough will bake thoroughly too.
3. The shape of the pan doesn’t matter so much, just be sure it has plenty of surface area to place the dough atop.

Fresh Strawberry Cobbler

Makes a 9-inch round cobbler

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Ingredients

  

For the cobbles (topping)

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla bean substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 7/8 cup heavy cream chilled
• 1 tablespoon Turbinado sugar for topping

For the fruit

• 2 pounds firm-ripe strawberries roughly 2 pints, stemmed and halved (or quartered if large)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar to taste, depending on the sweetness of the strawberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves finely minced, optional

Instructions

 

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Place a large, flat baking sheet on it, for catching any bubbling juices as the cobbler bakes. Make sure your cobbler pan fits flat onto the baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, gently stir the 1/4 cup granulated sugar into the prepared strawberries. Set aside and allow to macerate for about one hour. Transfer the berries into the baking dish, holding back the accumulated juices in the bowl.
• Add the lemon juice and cornstarch to the strawberry juices and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved and smooth. Pour this over the strawberries (already in the baking pan), set aside and prepare the topping.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F while you prepare the topping.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and ground vanilla bean in a medium bowl. (If using vanilla extract, mix the extract into the chilled heavy cream in the next step.) Cut in the cold butter cubes using a pastry cutter, two knives, or by pressing through your fingers (if your hands are not too warm). Mix until coarse crumbs are formed.
• Stir the vanilla extract (if using this substitute) into the chilled heavy cream; then pour this into the crumb mixture. Stir until the dough barely sticks together. It will be a bit messy, and the flour will not be fully incorporated.
• Drop walnut-sized balls of dough (about 1-1/2" rounds) over the strawberry mixture, being careful to not overcrowd the pan. Sprinkle the Turbinado sugar over the dough.
• Bake until the strawberry juices are bubbling, and the top is deep golden brown, about 40 - 45 minutes.
• Serve with softly whipped cream, vanilla or strawberry ice cream. Or all on its own!