Coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar,for topping
Optional, for serving: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet, or another 2-quart baking dish (such as an 11 x 7-inch pan or a deep 8-inch or 9-inch square pan) with nonstick cooking spray.
Add peaches and blackberries to the prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the granulated sugar, ¼ cup of the flour, and the almond extract. Toss gently to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup of sugar, remaining 1 cup of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cream; stir gently just until the dough comes together.
Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls evenly over the fruit mixture. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.
Bake until the topping is browned and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 45-55 minutes. Cover the dish loosely with foil as it’s baking if you notice that the top is browning too quickly. Let the cobbler cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
The butter and cream need to be as cold as possible for flaky and tender biscuits. You can freeze the cubed butter for about 10-20 minutes before using it or keep it in the refrigerator. I also keep the cream in the fridge right up until it’s time to add it to the dough.
The dollops of biscuit dough on top of the fruit do not need to be perfect. The dough will spread in the oven to cover most of the filling, and we’re going for a “rustic” look!
The cobbler is done when the filling is bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through. Make sure that the topping is cooked through by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, you’ll know it's fully set.
Use fresh or frozen peaches and blackberries. If you’re using frozen fruit, thaw it first and strain off the excess juices.
To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the cobbler in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
Don't have almond extract? Use vanilla extract instead.
Swap out the blackberries anduse any other berries with the peaches. Blueberries, raspberries, or diced strawberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler filling.