TWD: Mixed Berry Cobbler - Better Late Than Never!

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What could be better on a lazy, sultry, summer day than a fistful of fresh, lush berries, bursting with sweetness; their ripeness dripping in rivulets down your chin as you take that first big, juicy, sublime bite? Not much, I suspect. But, this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe, Mixed Berry Cobbler, comes pretty close.

Gorging on Mother Nature's summer bounty is one of the simple, basic pleasures of the season. Dorie's cobbler sets the perfect stage for berries to strut their delicious stuff. This recipe is not a difficult one and has lots of room for improvisation. The crust is made from a basic sweet biscuit dough that can be left as is or flavored any way you like. Dorie specifies that either fresh or frozen berries can be used, as well as a number of other fruits.

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For my cobbler, I chose to use a mixture if fresh and frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. I did this because, while the fresh strawberries were reasonable priced, the other berries were out of sight and not all that sweet. The frozen berries were the same price, but for twice as much fruit. I thawed them and let them drain really well before I mixed them up with the fresh ones. Then, I added the sugar and a little framboise, because I like it.

I was a little nervous about making the biscuit dough as directed in the recipe. Many of my fellow TDW'ers reported that they were disappointed with it. But, since it was an integral part of the finished product, I did do it Dorie's way. I had to add some extra cream to my dough, because it was a little too crumbly. I also added 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of ground cardamom as well. Before I baked the cobbler, I brushed a tiny bit of cream and sprinkled some raw turbinado sugar on top of the crust.

I have to say that this cobbler rocked! The fruit was the perfect balance of tart and sweet. The berries were really soft and juicy, but Not mushy. The crust was fabulous. I loved the texture. It was crunchy, yet tender at the same time. The cinnamon and cardamom flavors were subtle, but definitely evident. I think that they really added a little something extra to that crust, which was the perfect backdrop for those gorgeous berries!

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My cobbler was served with some honey vanilla ice cream on the side, though I was secretly wishing that I had some creme fraiche to top it with. I think that the ice cream kind of "drowned out" the flavors of the cobbler. Since I definitely plan to make this dish again, I'll have to remember that for next time.

Although we have decided, as a group, not to reprint Dorie's recipes from the book in our posts anymore, this one can be found online here. So, if you even remotely like what you see here, click on over, get the recipe (or buy the book) and MAKE. THIS. NOW!!!

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My thanks to Beth from Our Sweet Life for choosing this terrific recipe for us this week. If you'd like to see lots more beautiful and luscious cobblers, go and check out the TWD blogroll.