SOUR CREAM COBBLER DOUGH
- 7½ oz (1-2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 3 oz (6 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
- 3/4 cup sour cream, chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest or ¾ tsp. orange zest (optional)
FRUIT FILLING
- 8 cups one or a mix of ripe apples and pears, cored and diced
- fresh or dried cranberries
- ½ -¾ cup sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for tossing
- 1½ tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar (optional)
- 1¼ teaspoons lemon zest, or 1 tsp. orange zest if using orange in dough
- pinch table salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- nutmeg
- cinnamon
Preheat oven to 425°F.
MAKE THE DOUGH
In food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and the salt. Pulse briefly to blend the ingredients, about 10 seconds. Add the butter pieces and pulse until they are the size of small peas, 5 to 7 one-second pulses.
Dump the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add any dough flavorings, if using, and stir until evenly dispersed. Add the sour cream. Using a rubber spatula, gently smear the ingredients together until the flour is evenly moistened and the dough begins to form large, soft, moist clumps.
Bring the dough together in an 8-inch-long log. Divide the log into 10 roughly equal round pieces. Refrigerate the pieces in the bowl while preparing the fruit.
PREPARE THE FRUIT FILLING
Put the fruit in a large bowl. Toss with ½ to ¾ cup sugar, (use less for very ripe, sweet fruit and more for fruit that’s not perfectly ripe and sweet), 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour (if your cobbler has any berries in it, use 2 Tbs. flour), and a pinch of table salt. If you are using additional flavorings, gently toss them in the fruit now, making sure to mix them in evenly.
ASSEMBLE THE COBBLER
Pile the fruit into the baking dish, scraping in any remaining juices or sugar from the bowl, and spread evenly. Remove the pieces of dough from the refrigerator and arrange them randomly on top of the filling, leaving space between the pieces. Do not flatten the dough. If desired sprinkle a little sugar evenly over the cobbler.
Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Let sit about 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle. You can serve this cobbler or or warm.
Yield: 8 Servings or one 9×13 inch pan