Adapted from Kristen Miglore’s Peach Cobbler with a Hot Sugar Crust (Genius Desserts, Ten Speed Press 2018)
Though they don’t come into season at the same time, sweet, floral pears and sour, tangy cherries are a beguiling combination, especially when tucked together into a cobbler beneath a tender butter cake and a glistening, snappy hot sugar crust. If you can’t find frozen sour cherries, substitute for sweet cherries, which will add a jammier quality. A wholly customizable recipe, this cobbler can be made with peaches and raspberries in the summer or apples and concord grapes in the fall.
8 servings
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare the fruit filling: In a 13-by-9-inch baking pan, toss together the pears, cherries, lemon juice, cornstarch, almond extract, and kosher salt. Sprinkle the butter evenly over the top.
- Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups of the sugar with an electric mixer on medium until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat until evenly combined. The mixture will look sandy. Add the milk, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the batter is creamy and well combined.
- Dollop the batter evenly spaced over the fruit. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter into an even layer. Try the make the batter meet the edges of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar evenly over the top. Drizzle the water evenly over the sugar.
- Immediately bake until the fruit is bubbling and the cake is golden browned, 70 to 80 minutes. A paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Transfer to a cool rack and let stand for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.
Samantha Seneviratne
Samantha Seneviratne is the author of The New Sugar and Spice, nominated for a 2016 James Beard Award, Gluten-Free for Good, and The Joys of Baking. A frequent contributor to the New York Times and Food52, she has been an editor at Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, Fine Cooking, and Good Housekeeping, and her blog Love, Cake was a finalist at the 2015 Saveur Awards. Sam lives in Brooklyn with her son Artie.