Peach Cobbler No 2

With very few exceptions, sequels and/or copies, imitations or duplications are usually less entertaining, engaging or good as the premier version. I suspect the cause is some sort of motivation to “out-do” the original by some completely arbitrary and ultimately important-for-only-a-fleeting-moment form of measurement.

But, sequels are also second chances, opportunities to learn from previous experience and seek out additional information to improve upon the previous product.

Or, somewhat more appropriately, sometimes the only way to learn the difference between good and bad wine is to drink both, tasting is the only way to experience the difference for yourself.

The gluten free peach and blueberry cobbler I made earlier this month was good and well liked. Although the earlier peach cobbler was good, the crust did not have the crisp, almost cookie or scone texture I wanted. And, I was not all that happy with the taste of the crust.

But, purchasing half a bushel of peaches (in other words many, many pounds of fresh peaches) and a visit by a cousin participating in a GW master’s program provided me with a chance to make a sequel, as if I really needed the excuse.

Without blue or blackberries to go with the peaches and since some were less ripe than others, macerating them in sugar with a splash of vanilla extract for a few hours heightened their sweetness, making them even richer in flavor. Maceration, similar in concept to marinating, adds or heightens foods’ flavors by immersing the food in sugar, spices, salt, vinegar or other substances.

For the crust, I wanted something with a bit of a crust, not a thick distracting crust but enough of a crust to have its own flavor and contrast-to-compliment the peaches. Somehow shortcake came to mind. Using the “Fluffy Biscuits or Shortcake Dough” from Joy of Cooking as a base; I substituted Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free All-Purpose flour for regular AP flour, 6-7 tablespoons chilled butter, a bit extra sugar, and some cinnamon for extra flavor.

The resulting dough was thick, perfect for baked or pan fried drop biscuits. After spreading the dough over the peaches sitting in nearly all of the maceration “juice”, remembering to spread it evenly and leave space around the edge, I baked it It was baked at 450 for about one hour.

The results were great! The high heat browned the dough, caramelizing some of the sugar in the dough and making a firm but crumbly crust covering. Served with freshly made goat milk ice cream, the cobbler was a perfect end to a hot summer’s day.

ice-cream cone

Goat’s milk is a great substitute for cow’s milk.  Not only does goat’s milk offer more protein than cow’s milk, goat’s milk does not normally irritate the stomachs of people with celiacs or with other digestive issues such as lactose intolerance.

Fortunately, Wife and I both really like ice creams. So, when I found fresh, local and excellent goat milk from J-Wen Farms & Dairy at the Columbia Pike Farmers Market I had a great opportunity to put the ice cream maker to good use give making goat’s milk ice cream a try.

It turned out to be some of the BEST ice cream I have ever eaten.

Only with further testing (batches) I will be able to conclusively determine if the stellar quality of the ice cream was due to the excellent quality goat’s milk, the recipe used, or something else. I know it will be a tough job, but … somebody has to do it.

In case you want to give it a try, the following is the recipe used for this batch:

2 2/3 cups goat’s milk

2+ teaspoons vanilla extract

4 egg yolks

1 cup sugar

*adopted from the Ambrose Ice cream recipe listed at Meyenberg Goat Milk Products website: http://meyenberg.com/

Peach and Blueberry Gluten Free Cobbler

Thanks to a visit by some well loved in-laws, I decided it was time to take the risk of trying to live up to those day-dream quality cobblers and attempt one myself.

Cobblers are supposed to be a simple-enough affair. As the name “Cobbler” implies, this traditional American dessert is made from bringing different fruits or berries together and combining them to make an entire dish. Personally, I think the name comes from two sources. First, much like a cobble stone street, these pie – like desserts are usually filled with large, nearly mismatched, pieces of fruit or berries and nearly always it is a combination of two or more fruits or berries. Second, a review of multiple recipes as well as assorted conversations with others, indicates these desserts probably evolved from a need to use up all the assorted bits and pieces left over from assembling more traditional pies, other desserts, or even the preparation of preserves.

At any rate, the point is cobblers are supposed to be rather unstructured or even informal in their preparation, final product and even how they are served, simply put: they should be like a summer evening – fun, for family, and filling.

For the cobbler in the picture above, I followed the Peach Raspberry Cobbler recipe listed in the Joy of Cooking but substituted Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free All-Purpose flower for the required all purpose flower. In order to offset any potential “bean” flavor from the GF AP flour, I added a pinch or two of extra sugar when covering the cut fruit as well as in the batter mix.

For a first attempt, it turned out very well and proved to be a very tasty and relatively easy gluten free dessert to make.

But, after some review, I would like to investigate a different style of GF topping or even using an entirely different GF flour. As it turned out, the flour does have a slightly strong but not un-pleasant chick pea taste. Alternatively, including cinnamon, allspice or even a touch of nutmeg – when appropriate – or even a splash of brandy, cognac, Cointreau or something similar would introduce some great flavors and help offset any potential flavors resulting from the GF flour.