Plum Cobbler with Coarse Sugar

Serves 10 in about 1 hour. An oven recipe built around apple and buttermilk.

Ingredients

• 8 large fresh ripe plums (about 46 ounces, pitted & sliced into ½-inch pieces)
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
• ½ medium apple peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple brandy* optional
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed
• ¾ cup buttermilk cold
• 1 to 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or granulated sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
2. Stir in the plums, brown sugar, grated apple, vanilla, apple brandy, cornstarch, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Gently stir until the fruit is evenly coated.
3. Tip in the plum mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
4. In a second large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
5. Tip in the cold cubed butter. With a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
6. Tip in the ¾ cup cold buttermilk and gently stir just until the dough comes together. stop while the mix still looks a little rough.
7. Take portions of dough and gently flatten them into thick discs.
8. Arrange the dough pieces over the plum filling, covering most of the surface while leaving a few small gaps for the filling to bubble through.
9. Brush the tops lightly with buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
10. Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that may bubble over.
11. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the plum filling is bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked all the way.
12. Leave it to the cobbler cool for about 20 minutes before serving so the filling can thicken slightly.
13. Plate warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

More dessert ideas are in the dessert collection.