This Father's Day, my cousins were hosting a barbeque in their new home. I knew I wanted to bring a pie or a fruit cake including fresh Summer fruit. My local Fairway had some gorgeous peaches, so I decided upon a Bourbon Peach Cobbler (original recipe by Tyler Florence). I was all set to get baking Father's Day morning, when I realized I forgot the bourbon! I looked around my apartment to see if I had anything I could substitute... and I spied some white Lillet, an aperitif, in my fridge. I had recently bought a lemon thyme plant, and thought of one of my favorite cocktails as inspiration, the Vesper. The lemon and Lillet pair perfectly in the Vesper, so I figured lemon thyme and Lillet would work well together, too. The dessert was a hit with both younger cousins and my 93-year-old grandfather! |
You'll need: 8 peaches, peeled and sliced, about 6 to 8 cups 1/4 cup white Lillet 3/4 cup sugar, divided, and more for dusting 2 tbs. corn starch 1 tbs. lemon thyme leaves, divided (Note: if you can't find lemon thyme, use common thyme and the zest of 1/2 a lemon) 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 2 sticks cold unsalted butter (ideally frozen) 3/4 cup heavy cream, more for brushing | First, peel and slice your fruit into a bowl. To do this, just place the peaches into a pot of boiling water for a minute, then into an ice bath. The peel comes right off. Slice the peaches into a bowl, and you're ready to add 2 teaspoons of your lemon thyme (add the lemon zest now if using common thyme). Add 1/4 cup sugar, and mix. In a measuring cup, mix the corn starch and Lillet until smooth. Add the Lillet mixture to the peaches, stirring well to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Take 12 tablespoons of butter and use the large holes of a box grater to grate it into small pieces. Gently mix it into the flour mixture, using your hands, until the dough looks like a coarse meal. Mix in the remaining |
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet (if you use a cast-iron skillet you can cook the cobber in it, making for a beautiful presentation. I used an aluminum pan, for ease of travel), and add the peach mixture, cooking for just a few minutes, to let it thicken up. Once the mixture is to your liking, add the dough to the top in small handfuls. Gently brush the top of the dough with the remaining heavy cream, using a pastry brush. This will make the dough beautifully shiny when it bakes. Sprinkle a pinch or two of sugar on top of the cobbler, and gently place it in the hot oven. If your pan is very full, like mine was, you should place it on a baking sheet to catch the drips as it bakes. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool a bit, and serve with freshly whipped cream, or some good vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!