american peach cobbler

How to make american peach cobbler recipe - Gently poaching firmer peaches helps to break them down so that they cook more evenly.

SERVES 6–8

PREP TIME 25 mins, COOK TIME 30–35 mins

Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup sugar
8 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and quartered
1 tsp cornstarch
juice of 1⁄2 lemon

For the topping:
2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp baking powder
1⁄3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1⁄2–3⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1 egg
1⁄2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp light brown sugar
ice cream, custard, or cream, to serve

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). For the filling, heat the sugar and 3–4 tbsp of water in a large, wide, heavy-based saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the quartered peaches, cover, and cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes.

2 In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the lemon juice to make a paste, then add it to the peaches. Continue to cook uncovered over low heat until the liquid thickens around the peaches. Transfer the peaches and syrup to a shallow ovenproof dish.

3 To make the topping, sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Whisk together the egg and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and bring together to form a soft, sticky dough.

4 Drop heaped tablespoons of the dough over the surface of the fruit, leaving a little space between them. Sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. It is ready when a skewer inserted into the center of the topping comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes before serving with ice cream, custard, or cream.

american peach cobbler