And yes, I know the bones of this cobbler recipe have gotten a lot of press lately. The recipe was even featured in The Seattle Times, and you can’t get much more note-worthy than that! But as you well know, I almost always feel compelled to mess with perfectly good recipes and put my own spin on a dish. Where this compunction comes from I have no idea. But at 75, the chances of my changing a decade’s long habit is probably just not going to happen. And in my humble opinion, amaretto should have been an ingredient from the onset. Plus I don’t like to eat the fuzzy skin of peaches, even if they are cooked. And vanilla in the cakey part of a cobbler should almost be mandatory as far as I’m concerned!   

So anyway. I changed the recipe from the Boat Street Café to what you see below. And frankly, the cobbler was very well received by all of us who were lucky enough to be gathered around our friends Jim & Margo’s dining room table last weekend. But the hot water and sugar topping method was totally the inspiration of Susan Kaplan who sold the Boat Street Café to Renee Erickson in 2003. Full disclosure folks, full disclosure.

But regardless of who put what in the recipe, or changed the instructions, or added or deleted ingredients, this is a delicious way to use those wonderful, juicy peaches that are beginning to grace  our local produce stands and farmers markets. So before the season is over, make your family and friends a dessert that features peaches. They are just so delicious. And if the ones Mr. C. brought home the other day are any indication of this season’s crop, we are all in for a treat. Happy eating everyone.

4 tsp. cornstarch

1/3 c. amaretto

10 lg. peaches
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ c. granulated sugar, divided  

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ c. whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. hot water
vanilla ice cream   

Whisk the cornstarch and amaretto together in a 9×13-inch casserole dish or glass Pyrex pan. (Pan can be a bit larger, but not any smaller.) Set aside.  

Peel the peaches (see “how to” below) and cut into 8 wedges, then each wedge in half. Place in a colander to drain while you prepare the cobbler part. (If you want to save the nectar, place the colander in a bowl.)

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and beat for about 30 seconds. Slowly mix in the milk and vanilla extract. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes more, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Gently pour the drained peaches in with the cornstarch mixture. Stir until every surface of every peach piece is coated with the cornstarch/amaretto mixture. 

Spoon the batter in large blobs over the peaches. Using a small offset spatula or implement of choice, spread the batter over the fruit so that it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle with the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar.  

Place the baking dish in a pre-heated 350 degree and bake for 60-70 minutes or until the top is cracked and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.

Remove the pan from oven and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, scoop into bowls and top with ice cream. Best served the same day as baked.

Peach Pealing 101:

Put a pot of water onto boil. Lightly score the bottom of each peach with an X. Working in batches of 3 or 4, add the peaches to the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the blanched peaches to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Remove peaches from ice water and remove skin with a paring knife.