American
Cherry Cobbler
Warm, tart-sweet cherries baked into a golden, buttery sponge in a small cast iron skillet, with crisp caramelised edges and a tender centre.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 390 per serving
A southern-style cobbler in which the batter is poured over melted butter in a cast iron pan and topped with warm cherry filling. As it bakes, the batter rises up around and through the cherries, forming crisp caramelised edges and a tender cake centre. It is scaled for a small 16–20cm skillet, with a reduced amount of fruit to balance the batter.
Method
-
Heat the oven to 180°C conventional (not fan) and place a rack in the lower-middle position. Standard radiant heat helps the bottom batter bake through to the centre before the cherries brown.
-
In a small saucepan over a medium heat, combine the cherries, 38 g sugar, cornflour, lemon juice and the pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries release their juices and the liquid turns glossy and thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5 mins -
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 50 g sugar, baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Add the egg and milk and whisk until just combined into a smooth, pourable batter, without overmixing.
-
Put a small cast iron skillet over a low heat on the hob, or in the heating oven for 3–5 minutes, to melt the butter. As soon as the butter is fully melted and coating the bottom, remove the skillet from the heat.
5 mins -
Pour the batter into the centre of the skillet over the melted butter without stirring. Gently spoon the warm cherry filling and all its juices evenly over the batter, again without mixing. The batter will push up around the cherries as it bakes.
-
Bake for 45 minutes, until the edges are deep golden-brown, the centre of the sponge springs back when lightly pressed and the cherry juices are bubbling.
45 mins -
Let the skillet rest on a heatproof trivet for 10–15 minutes so the juices settle. Spoon out warm into bowls, topped with vanilla ice cream or a splash of double cream if you like.
10 mins
Serving suggestions
Let the skillet rest on a heatproof trivet for 10–15 minutes, then spoon out warm into bowls, optionally topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a splash of double cream.
Cook’s tips
Bake with conventional (not fan) heat on the lower-middle shelf so the bottom batter cooks through before the cherries brown; fan ovens brown the top while leaving the base doughy. Do not stir the batter into the butter or the cherries into the batter. The cherries can be sweet or sour. This quantity suits a 16–20cm skillet; in a wider 23cm skillet the batter spreads thinner and will bake in 35–40 minutes. Do not overmix the batter.