Surprise #2: Mrs. Dorran's Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler [Public]

[Alternate Text: A golden-brown peach cobbler is contained in a circular baking dish; there are hints of peaches peeking through the top layer of crust.]

"Did you know stone fruits are also called 'drupes'?"

"Only you would know that," R instantly answers S, softening their joke with a playful smile that holds a degree of interest. "The better question is: why? I cannot see you researching fruit varieties for a poem, unless you wanted something less trite than a pomegranate to remark on?"

"It was a conversation starter…"

R's eyes dart away from the peach they're mangling to where you stand on the opposite side of the island. You're too intent on measuring out flour to join the discussion about fruit, but S has been watching you throughout this little cooking endeavor. Their friend's voice was more hushed, if not muted, than usual. "Oh," R murmurs. "Oh—oh ow! My thumb." A well-placed dishtowel conceals the lack of a cut as they drop the paring knife. "I'm unfit for this kind of thing. The two of you should handle it"—R pointedly glances at S after catching your attention—"alone, okay?"

Below you will find the recipe for Mrs. Dorran's Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler; it yields a fruity dessert that's perfect for summer months thanks to its sweet notes and biscuit-like crust. It's down-home cooking! The recipe itself isn't too difficult, although you might be surprised at the order of the steps given how things bake/rise. 🍑😋

Please enjoy!

(Also, I realize I said I was going to do A's granola for J as our next recipe to avoid you all being in a sugar coma, but I wasn't sure if that was summery enough. XD)

Ingredients

Peach Mixture

• 4 cups of peaches in lite syrup, sliced in half, so you're making them thinner rather than shorter. Drain the liquid; you only want the peaches.
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, somewhat heaping
• Less than half a teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
• The last three ingredients are more or less to your taste, but these are good starting measures. Once the mixture is heated/combined, feel free to test it.

[You can use fresh peaches rather than high-quality canned ones, but the texture is different since they aren't as firm from the start. If using fresh ones, simply cut four cups worth and mix it with 1 cup of sugar, only adding the brown sugar/cinnamon. This is then boiled over medium heat until the peach mixture is thickened! :D]

Crust Layer

• 1 stick of unsalted butter (It's not used in the way you might think!)
• 1 cup of buttermilk, if the batter seems thick add a splash more
• 1 cup of self-rising flour (You can make self-rising flour from regular flour by adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 and a 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Method

Note: There's got to be some degree of trust with this recipe. As a kid, I remember watching my mom make it and being unsure how everything would bake/rise together.

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, if using a convection oven. If not, then 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Heat the four cups of peaches over medium heat to awaken their flavors after being canned. Once heated, add in the brown sugar, regular sugar, cinnamon.
• Bring the peach mixture to a boil for a minute; it should start to gel together in a nicely flavored syrup that you can adjust with more sugar/spice, if needed. Set this aside for a moment.
• Prepare the batter by mixing the flour, buttermilk, vanilla, and sugar. Adding a splash more of buttermilk can help you thin the batter, if necessary. I only ever add a bit. Set this aside for a moment.
• Place the stick of butter in large glass baking dish, possibly a 9 by 11, but it's not that big of a deal so long as the peaches fit and you can pour the batter in it.
• Put the baking dish in the oven. Allow the butter to melt.
• Pour the batter over the melted butter, stir it together until they are just combined. You will still see areas of melted butter within the batter.
• Put the peaches on top of the new mixture; they will settle down into the mixture and then during the bake, the crust will rise up around them even more so.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the crust layer to be golden-brown and firm to the touch. (You might need to adjust the cooking time based on the size of the pan you use. The key thing is that the crust layer is firm/golden brown.)
• Take it out and let it cool. The finished dessert/leftovers will eventually need to be refrigerated.

Fun Extras

• Enjoying the cobbler with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would be great.
• Be sure to enjoy it hot: heating it up in a toaster oven or eating it fresh from the oven.
• I'm not sure how this dessert freezes. It should keep in the fridge for several days.