Fruit desserts are my favorite desserts to eat in the fall. Pies are the all-time classic, however, I like variations where there is more fruit than the crust, such as a cobbler. Fruit cobblers are great, but they often have a soggy topping due to undercooking. The fruit can sometimes have too much of a “jelly” texture instead of fruit pieces.
This cobbler recipe is different since the topping itself is baked separately from the fruit, eliminating the soggy middle. The fruit is really featured – lots of juicy cherries and a little bit of syrup to hold it together. The surprise ingredient? Red wine. It enhances the cherry flavor and creates a smooth syrup and subtle sweetness with tartness. I highly recommend using the jarred Morello cherries and not the canned cherries in syrup. I found it at a certain “trading” store in town. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
Sour Cherry Cobbler
Biscuit Topping
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoon cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup buttermilk
Filling
4 24-ounce jars of Morello cherries
3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch Table Salt
1 cup dry red wine
1 cinnamon stick (3-inch)
1/4 teaspoon Almond Extract1. Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse flour, 6 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 15 one-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl; add buttermilk and toss with rubber spatula to combine. Using a 1 ½ to 1 ¾ inch spring-loaded ice cream scoop, scoop 12 biscuits onto baking sheet, spacing them 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. Sprinkle biscuits evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar and bake until lightly browned on tops and bottoms, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, but do not turn off oven.
3. Meanwhile, spread drained cherries in even layer in 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish. Stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in medium nonreactive saucepan. Whisk in reserved cherry juice and wine, and add cinnamon stick; set saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking frequently, until mixture simmers and thickens, about 5 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick, stir in almond extract, and pour hot liquid over cherries in baking dish.
4. Arrange hot biscuits in 3 rows of 4 over filling. Bake cobbler until filling is bubbling and biscuits are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; serve.
