Equipment
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 910 g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 6mm pieces
- 600 ml raspberries, fresh or defrosted
- 240 g sugar
- 35 g cornstarch
For the Biscuits
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 160 g cornmeal
- 60 g sugar
- 15 g baking powder
- 1 g salt
- 90 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12mm cubes
- 160 ml heavy cream
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 501 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 83 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 43 g
- Sodium
- 333 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 47 mg
- Potassium
- 703 mg
- Calcium
- 286 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 322 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 169 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 29 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 41 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.31 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 2.6 mg
- Folate
- 99 mcg
- Water
- 189 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Mix the rhubarb, raspberries, 240g sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl until the fruit is evenly coated.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, 60g sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend.
Add the cold butter cubes to the food processor and pulse until the mixture reaches a coarse crumb consistency.
Pour in the heavy cream and pulse just until the dough begins to clump together.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface, pat it together, and divide it into 8 equal portions shaped into thick rounds.
Transfer the fruit filling and any liquid into the baking dish.
Place the biscuit rounds on top of the fruit filling.
Brush the tops of the biscuit rounds with a small amount of additional heavy cream.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the fruit filling is bubbling and the biscuits turn golden brown.
Chef's Notes
- For a more tender biscuit, avoid overmixing the dough once the cream is added. Just mix until it barely comes together.
- If using frozen raspberries, do not thaw them completely before adding to the filling. This will help prevent a watery filling.
- Ensure your butter is very cold when making the biscuit dough. This is crucial for creating flaky layers.
- Allow the cobbler to rest for at least 15-20 minutes after baking. This allows the filling to thicken slightly and makes it easier to serve.
- The cornmeal adds a lovely texture and slight grit to the biscuits, but if you prefer a softer biscuit, you can substitute an equal amount of all-purpose flour.
Storage
Refrigerator: 72 hours — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn.
Reheating: Reheat in a 150°C (300°F) oven until the biscuits are crisp and the filling is warm.
Troubleshooting
Biscuits are dense or tough
Cause: Overworking the dough in the food processor
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Pulse only until the ingredients are just combined and the dough starts to clump.
Fruit filling is too watery
Cause: Underbaking the cobbler
Fix: Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes
Prevention: Ensure the filling is bubbling vigorously in the center before removing from the oven.
Cultural Context
Cobblers are a classic American dessert, particularly popular in the Southern United States. They evolved from British pies and puddings, offering a simpler, rustic approach to fruit desserts. This recipe combines the tartness of rhubarb, a spring and early summer staple, with sweet raspberries, showcasing a seasonal fruit combination often found in North American home baking.
