Blueberry Rhubarb Cobbler

 

File this under stupid easy baking for a seasonal treat.  The balance between the tangy rhubarb and sweet wild blueberries is really tasty.  

Rhubarb is such as seasonal offering that I make this when it is fresh and ready in the Spring.  Its that farm to table, peak of 

Wild Blueberries have a much more intense flavor and are WAYYYYY better than the grape sized varieties sold fresh at the local groc.  I use the frozen wild blueberries for maximum flavor.  I get the jumbo bag of Wyman's Wild Blueberries sold at Costco.  Of course both HEB and Kroger sell bags of frozen wild, but they cost sooo much more than Costco.

I use vanilla bean in the making of this dessert, but you can substitute good vanilla extract or paste.  Simply add it to the rhubarb blueberry mixture before pouring into the baking dish.

Blueberry Rhubarb Cobbler

Filling

• 2 stalks rhubarb cubed (about 2 heaping cups)
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 c water
• 1 vanilla bean pod
• 2 1/2 c Frozen Wild Blueberries
• 1 T corn starch
• pinch of salt

Cobbler Topping

• 1 C All Purpose Flour
• 1 C sugar
• 1 stick butter melted
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 2 t baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400F

In heavy bottomed pan place sliced rhubarb, salt, sugar and water.  Cut a slit length wise through the vanilla pod.  Scrape out seeds.  Add Vanilla seeds and pod to the rhubarb mixture.  Over medium heat bring to boil and reduce to simmer.  Stir occasionally.  When sugar is completed dissolved and rhubarb is softened .  Remove from heat and fish out the vanilla bean pod.

Put frozen blueberries and corn starch in a mixing bowl. Toss lightly to disperse the cornstarch.   Add the slightly cooled rhubarb mixture.  Toss gently and pour into 8X8inch baking dish.  Place baking dish on a baking tray.

In stand mixer with whisk attachment add flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.  Give it a short spin on low to mix the ingredients.  With mixer on low add beaten egg and mix until it resembles coarse sand and all flour mixture absorbed.  About 2 minutes.

Spoon topping over the filling with a spoon.  Level topping gently with back of spoon.  Evenly pour over the topping the melted butter.

Bake 55-65 minutes until topping is deep golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cool on wire rack.  Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Cherry Almond Cobbler

Because I don't do pie dough

A while back I scored on a bag of frozen sour cherry's something like 4 freaking pound bag for barely $10.  Can't buy fresh for that.  Can't buy fresh with the same convenience as they were already pitted!  Today it was our first really cool rainy day for the fall season.  In fact its raining right now...and cold stormy days bring out the baker in me.

This is really a simple recipe.  Frozen cherries and almond slices as the two simply play together quite well. I remember hearing, reading, picking up by osmosis that they are in the same plant family and thus have similar flavonoids that really enhance each other.  Almond makes cherry more cherry believe it or not.

For the prep of the streusel toppings you really need to use a food processor with a dough blade.  Its much faster to give it a couple of quick pulse whizzes than to cut it in by hand with a pastry cutter.

Cherry Almond Cobbler
6 c frozen pitted sour cherries
1 c sugar
3 T corn starch
pinch salt
1/4 t almond extract
1/2 t vanilla
topping
3/4 c flour
3/4 c quick cooking oats
2/3 c brown sugar
1 stick butter - chilled
1/4 t salt

Preheat oven to 350F  Grease 9X13 baking pan

Pour frozen cherries into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the almond extract and vanilla. Let thaw 10-15 minutes.  Mix together salt, corn starch and sugar.  Sprinkle mixture over cherries and toss lightly to combine.

For topping combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt in food processor and pulse to combine a couple of times.  Cut butter into tablespoons and place evenly over flour mixture.  Pulse 7-10 times until it resembles wet crumbly sand.  (If not using food processor whisk together dry ingredients.  With pastry cutter cut in butter until it resembles wet crumbly sand.)

Pour cherries into prepared pan.  Spoon streusel evenly over the cherries.  Bake 45-50 minutes until topping is golden brown.