Because this cobbler takes a little time to bake, I'll mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits the night before. When I wake up, I'm just slicing peaches and adding the wet ingredients to the dough while the coffee is brewing. By the time I've finished my first cup of coffee, it's ready to pull from the oven. For added decadence, serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or crème fraîche. I use my 10-inch cast-iron skillet here, but if you don't have one at home, feel free to make this in a 2-quart baking dish instead.

Note: I don't peel peaches for this recipe. They soften and cook down just fine, so you'll hardly notice the skins. If you're set on doing so, cut a small X with a paring knife on the bottom of each peach, then dunk the peaches in almost-boiling water for 60 seconds, or so; the skins will slide right off.


Serves 6

Ingredients


Filling:
  • 2 pounds ripe peaches, pitted and halved (5 to 6 peaches)
  • 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 3 Tbsp. unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Cornmeal-Thyme Biscuits:
  • 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup fine-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 3 Tbsp. natural cane sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped, fresh thyme
  • 5 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, plus more for greasing the skillet
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions


Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Cut each peach half into five slices. In a bowl, toss together the peaches, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest and let sit until the sugar has begun to dissolve into the fruit, about 10 minutes.

To make the filling: Add the flour and salt to the peaches and stir to combine. Set aside while preparing the dough.

To make the biscuits: In a bowl, sift together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and incorporate it, using your fingertips, until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal (it's okay if it contains some pea-size bits, too). Add the yogurt and buttermilk and stir until the dough just comes together.

To assemble and bake the cobbler: Pour the peaches into the prepared pan. Drop small mounds of dough, about 3 tablespoons each, onto the fruit. This yields 7 to 8 biscuits, so someone at the breakfast table will get to sneak an extra on top of their peaches.

Bake until the biscuits are golden brown on top and the peach juice is thickening and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature. This cobbler is best enjoyed the day it's made. The texture of the biscuits changes after a day, or so, on the counter.


Reprinted with permission from Whole-Grain Mornings: New Breakfast Recipes to Span the Seasons by Megan Gordon (Ten Speed Press, © 2013). Photo Credit: Clare Barboza.

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