TWD: Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler

 

This week's Tuesdays With Dorie selection, "Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler," was chosen by Amanda of Like Sprinkles on a Cupcake.  The recipe can be found on page 415 of Dorie Greenspan's Baking:  From My Home to Yours or over on Amanda's site.

Before I made this, I skimmed through the instructions and the "Serving" and "Playing Around" sections  on the right side of the page.  For serving, Dorie wrote "It goes without saying that the cobbler is great with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Cherry vanilla would be even better."

Well.  Cherry vanilla.  I could make that!  I had more than enough cherries for the cobbler, so why not make the ice cream, too?  Actually, I made that first, after I went through and pitted all the cherries, because the ice cream base was going to need time to chill and then the ice cream itself would need time to firm up later.

If you want to read all about the ice cream making part, you can head over here.

But for now, it's cobbler time.

I don't have one of those cherry pitting gizmos.  I've found it's easy enough to just put some cherries on a cutting board and press down on them with the flat side of a large knife. 

Once the blade makes contact with the pit, the cherry will start to split.  All I have to do is pull the cherry apart, toss the pieces in one bowl, and put the pit in my trash bowl.  Ta-da!  I will admit it gets a bit messy - by the end the board and my apron look like evidence of a cherry massacre.  And I guess that's what happened.

 

Next up - the rhubarb.  I bought rhubarb this time, although we do have a rhubarb plant in the garden.  But for some reason, our rhubarb hasn't been as big and mighty as it has been in the past, and I'd already used a bunch of it for a strawberry rhubarb pie or something, and I didn't want to wipe out the entire plant.  So I bought a rather large bunch, and I think I'll have to chop and freeze the rest of it because I only needed the two biggest stalks for this cobbler.  Look - exactly 12 ounces!

I trimmed the ends off and then I peeled the stringy bits from the stalk.  And, being me, I thought the little stringy bits looked kind of interesting...so I took a few pictures.

And then, after play time was done, I got around to chopping up the rhubarb.

Then I got the rest of the filling ingredients measured out and ready to go - sugar, ground ginger, and cornstarch.

I whisked the dry ingredients together first, and then stirred it all together in a big bowl.

It looked kind of grainy initially, but by the time the topping was ready, and I had stirred this mixture around a few times, all the dry ingredients had soaked in the juices and everything looked lovely and juicy and ready for baking.

The topping came together just as quickly and easily.  I didn't use a food processor - I just did it in a bowl, by hand, and it was just fine.  First the dry ingredients, and then the bits of cold butter...

and then the milk (please excuse the blur).

And then the rather sticky dough was turned out onto a floured board and cut into pieces...

And all the pieces were very gently shaped into balls.

Now, in her book, Dorie recommends using an 8 x 8 inch pyrex baking dish.  I had one - I don't know where it went.  So I used a deep, 8" diameter souffle dish instead, and that worked just fine.

And into the oven it went!

Oh - it smelled REALLY good while it was baking.  REALLY good.  Mine baked for 45 minutes.  I'd checked it at 35, and it looked cooked, but the berries weren't bubbling, so I put it back in for another ten minutes.  Bingo.  Dark red juice bubbled up in between the balls of the cobbler crust.  Yum.

I let the cobbler sit by the window for the rest of the day, and we had it for dessert later that night.  I took some photos of it when I served it up, but because the the (lack of natural) lighting, the pictures didn't come out to my liking. 

And so, for the sake of Culinary Artistic Aesthetics, I just HAD to dig out some cobbler this morning, and some ice cream, and do the pictures again.  And, yes, eat the cobbler and ice cream for breakfast.  To my way of thinking, it's not ALL that different from cereal with fruit and milk.  And that's HEALTHY, right?

   

Right!

Now go take a good long peek at how all the other Tuesdays With Dorie members (over 200 and something now!) did with their Cherry Rhubarb Cobblers.  And then go make one for yourself!  And don't forget to make some Cherry Vanilla ice cream to go along with it!

Comments

[kim]

beautiful job on the cobbler!! i loved your ice cream post too, great idea to pair with it :)

[April B]

Oh my gosh your pictures are gorgeous! The cobbler looks perfect! And you even made the ice cream, amazing work.

[Susan]

wow jayne - this looks go great! i can't believe you also found the time to make the cherry vanilla ice cream - you rock!!

[Rigby]

I love your photos, and your idea for pitting cherries. Everything looks scrumptious!

[HoneyB]

Your pictures are awesome! I really love the cherry vanilla ice cream you made too!

[Heather B]

I am in love with your pictures! Especially the rhubarb curls! Your cobbler looks delicious! Great job!

[Caitlin]

I love the picture of it right out of the oven - the juices look delicious! And having it for breakfast is just another one of the trials we have to put ourselves through for our blogs :)

[rainbowbrown]

Ah. Aren't rhubarb strings pretty? So is your cobbler. And ice cream! Well done.

[Di]

I had cobbler with ice cream for breakfast, too. Doesn't everybody? =) And besides, the whole wheat definitely makes it healthy. I really love the first picture. And the rhubarb strings, actually.

[food librarian]

This looks so tasty!! Wonderful photos too.

[Kelly H]

I love the stringy rhubarb pics... reminds me of Christmas wrap!

[Holly @ PheMOMenon]

Ahhh... such gorgeous photos as always! Beautiful job!

[Jules]

That looks fabulous! And I'm stealing your recipe for ice cream.

[Lyvvie]

I got a stab of homesickness when I saw Garelick Farms milk. I was raised on that. Sigh. Your recipe looks amazing and I'm currently regretting having packed away my pie plate. I may have to dig out the box in the garage and have a go at this while he cherries are still cheap. then again, strawberry and rhubarb would be just as nice. With dollops of runny custard. Yup! I'll have to try this.

[Jeanine]

Wow!! Your cobbler looks fantastic! Mouthwatering!

[Aaliyah]

WOW...I really like your big chopping block. I wonder if I can get one here? Your pictures are wonderful looking as is your dessert. And I agree. Cereal with fruit is supposedly HEALTHY...this is just a more COOL version of it. I look forward to your post next week. Great pics of the stringy stuff too!

[Dolores]

So much for my theory that this cobbler's just not photogenic. Great job!

[Linda at Tender Crumb]

Cobbler & ice cream for breakfast??...I like the way you think!!! :)

[CB]

Forget the cobbler. Gimme some cherry vanilla ice cream! Great job!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought

[Madam Chow]

That looks amazing - and I MUST make some ice cream this weekend!

[Madam Chow]

That looks amazing - and I MUST make some ice cream this weekend!

[Barbara]

What wonderful pictures! Glad you liked it!