We’re almost in September, Tartlets. Let’s keep the summer vibes going with this delicious and fresh Blackberry Cobbler.
What’s the book-inspired recipe for The Sparrow Sisters?
There were a lot of book-inspired recipe options for The Sparrow Sisters. Patience, Nettie, and Sorrell grow their own vegetables, fruits, and herbs, and Patience and love interest Henry often share bowls of freshly picked blackberries.
Since Patience’s garden plays such a pivotal role in the book, I thought a New England Blackberry Cobbler would be the perfect book-inspired recipe for The Sparrow Sisters.
What’s the difference between a fruit cobbler and a buckle (and a crisp? and a crumble?)
To keep it simple, think of a fruit cobbler as a giant fruity pancake. Seriously. That’s the best thing I can liken this Blackberry Cobbler to.
I basically made a version of pancake batter and plopped some cooked blackberries into the dish, and 40 minutes later, I had a Blackberry Cobbler.
People tend to confuse fruit cobblers, buckles, crisps, and crumbles all the time. I mean, it’s kind of easy to; they’re all made of fruit and all have similar-sounding names.
Fruit buckles, like my Blueberry Buckle, have crackly, crunchy tops, and they’re nothing remotely like a fruit cobbler. If you want to know more about crumbles and crisps, check out my Apple Crumble post.
Making a Blackberry Cobbler is super easy
Watching the Blackberry Cobbler come together was kind of magical. (Like the world of the The Sparrow Sisters! See what I did there??) I started with a base of melted butter, poured in the cobbler batter, then dropped fruit all over it. Then, I shoved it all in the oven and waited for it to poof up.
Poof up, it did. I was completely surprised that this whole “dumping” method worked.
I feel like I’ve mastered Baking for Dummies.
The fruit inside turned all jammy and deliciously ooey-gooey, and the cobbler batter baked up perfectly light and fluffy around it.
The top of the Blackberry Cobbler caramelized slightly and turned golden-brown, making for some delightfully crunchy corner pieces.
Why I love Blackberry Cobbler
Despite the buttload of sugar I dumped in with the fruit, this blackberry cobbler wasn’t overly sweet.
I think the sugar worked well with the berries’ natural tartness, and the vanilla extract in the fruit mixture added an almost floral note that I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed.
And, per Mr Tart’s request and his love of all things cinnamon, I tipped a generous amount of ground cinnamon into the cobbler batter.
I really like how the warm spice gave the cobbler a slight autumnal vibe, which makes this Blackberry Cobbler a perfect transitional dessert for summer into fall.
Serve a piping hot New England Blackberry Cobbler with a dollop of whipped cream (confession: I used Cool Whip) or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Baker’s Note: This is a dessert you want to eat soon after you pull it from the oven — and leave no crumb or berry behind. You can refrigerate and reheat leftover Blackberry Cobbler, but I don’t recommend it.
What pairs well with Blackberry Cobbler?
Blackberry Cobbler is the perfect dessert following a fresh, summery meal like Ratatouille Pasta, or a BBQ feast of Firehouse Chicken Wings or Steak Tacos. If you’re thinking about serving it after a lunch, I suggest starting with Fried Green Tomato BLTs or Smoked Gouda Burgers with Onion Jam.
As we ease into the “ber” months of the year, Blackberry Cobbler makes a great fruity follow-up to heartier meals like Chicken Pot Pie, Cottage Pie, and Smothered Chicken with Broiled Broccolini.
I mean, if you’re turning on the oven for dinner, why not keep it on to bake a dessert, too?
New England Blackberry Cobbler
Ingredients
FRUIT MIXTURE INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups fresh blackberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
COBBLER BATTER INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Place butter in a 8x8 baking dish and stick it in the oven as it preheats. Keep an eye on it, making sure the butter melts completely but does not begin to sizzle or brown. As soon as the butter is melted, remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until combined. Add in the milk and whisk lightly until cobbler batter is mostly smooth (some small lumps will remain). Set aside.
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine blackberries, water, and ¾ cup granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat berry mixture over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot (about 5 minutes).
- Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Pour the prepared cobbler batter directly over the melted butter in the 8x8 baking dish. Do NOT stir the batter into the butter; just let it pool on top. Yes, it will look a little weird.
- Use a slotted spoon to spoon ONLY the blackberries (no juice**) over the cobbler batter. Again, do NOT stir the blackberries into the cobbler batter. The batter will rise up around the berries as the cobbler bakes.
- Bake cobbler at 350F for about 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and pulling away from the sides of the baking dish.
- Let Blackberry Cobbler cool 5-10 minutes, then serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
