Peach (or Pluot) Cobbler with Hot Sugar Crust
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Kristen Miglore’s Genius Desserts arrived at my door at the end of August, and about five minutes later, I found myself at my Co-op buying peaches, the cobbler with hot sugar crust calling my name.
The peaches, unfortunately, were rock hard, and for a minute I considered putting the experiment on hold until the peaches ripened. I decided instead to compromise: I would use the rock-hard peaches immediately, but halve the recipe to minimize waste in the event of disaster.
Much to my delight and surprise, after 80 minutes in the oven, the peaches softened beautifully and not an iota of fruit or crumb was wasted. The following weekend, Labor Day, I made the full recipe, dividing the batter among two pans, using peaches—ripe this time— in one, pluots in another. And this past weekend, I used Honey Crisp apples. I brought the cobbler to a small get together with friends, where, as melting vanilla ice cream pooled around the stewy, sugar-crusted fruit, it was met with rave reviews.
Phew! I’ve been trying to get this cobbler post out for weeks, and I feared it would have to wait till next summer, but this recipe continues proving to be both versatile and forgiving—any number of fruits at any level of ripeness seem to work; scale the recipe up or down as needed.
Did I mention it’s easy, too? When using stone fruit, there’s no need to peel: the cut fruit go right into the pan with a little lemon zest, juice, and nothing more—there’s no thickening agent; just fruit. The batter is a mix of softened butter, sugar, a nice amount of salt, baking powder, flour, and milk. It comes together in about 5 minutes.
Note: This is not a traditional cobbler. For one, the batter is not at all biscuit-like (made with cold butter cut into flour, mixed with cold liquid) and cannot be cut into discs and dropped neatly over the fruit. Second, it employs a curious method:
Kristen writes: “Only after smoothing on a layer of batter and dusting the top with sugar do you encounter the uncomfortable step of sloshing hot water over the top of your lovely cobbler.” As the cobbler bakes, the water steams away, and “a dainty crust forms, blanketing the cake and saucy peaches like a sheet of Bubble Wrap, begging to be popped.”
The crust is so, so good—upon removing the cobbler from the oven, it’s nearly impossible not to tap a spoon into to send cracks rippling across its surface. The crust is very thin and light, unlike many recipes of its kind, and the cobbler as a whole is on the delicate side: a thin layer of bubbling fruit topped with a shatteringly crisp crust. It’s really lovely.
Friends, I’ve included the full recipe for the peach cobbler below and the half recipe for the apple cobbler on the next post. And I hope to share more recipes from Genius Desserts this fall — so far, I’ve made Maida Heatter’s East 62nd Street Lemon Cake, which was a huge hit with kids and friends alike, and Cook’s Illustrated Blondies, which I had made and loved shortly after Kristen first wrote about them. They are just as good as ever.
Friends, as you know, I am a huge fan of Food52 and Kristen Miglore, whose writing is as enjoyable as her recipes—I look forward every week to her Wednesday column, which never fails to make me laugh, to teach me something, to make me rethink something else, or to get me scribbling down a grocery list. Genius Desserts, a combination of greatest hits — think: Dorie’s World Peace Cookies , David Lebovitz’s Chocolate sorbet — and new surprises, is no exception.
UPDATE: GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. WINNER IS DEBBIE HALTZMAN. I’VE EMAILED YOU. Friends, I have an extra, author-signed copy of Genius Desserts, which I would love to give to one of you. Do you have an all-time favorite dessert? Let me know in the comments. For the giveaway, U.S. residents only (sorry, Friends from afar!!).
Peach (or Pluot!) Cobbler with Hot Sugar Crust
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10
Description
From Kristen Miglore’s Food52 Genius Desserts
To make a half recipe and to use apples, see this post: Apple Cobbler with Hot Sugar Crust
If you like video guidance, I made this in Instagram Stories
Tart pan: This summer, after realizing I didn’t have a good pan in which to make clafouti, I invested in this set of Toulouse tart pans from Food52’s Shop. I absolutely love them. I’ve used them to make eggplant involtini, quinoa-stuffed poblano peppers, and, as here, peach and pluot cobbler with hot sugar crust. They are dishwasher safe and clean up like a dream.
Ingredients
- 10 large, ripe peaches (about 4 1/2 pounds / 2kg) or pluots or other stone fruit, pitted but not peeled, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) chunks
- 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400g) sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (185g) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120g) hot water
- Heavy cream or ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Arrange the peaches in a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) or two 10-inch pie plates or other similar-size baking pan or gratin dish. Using a zester or Microplane, zest about 2 teaspoons of lemon zest evenly over the fruit. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze about 1⁄4 cup (60g) of lemon juice over the top.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups (300g) of the sugar on medium speed until creamy but sandy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat on medium speed until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is evenly crumbly, about 30 seconds more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the batter is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Scoop the batter in about 6 large blobs over the peaches. With an offset spatula or the back of a big spoon, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar over the batter. Drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar, using it to melt the sugar topping.
- Set the pan on the foil-lined baking sheet and bake the cobbler until the top is golden brown and cracked, 70 to 80 minutes. A toothpick stuck in the topping should come out clean or with just crumbs clinging—be sure to check in a few places.
- Let the cobbler cool for about 30 minutes to firm up. Serve warm, scooping it into big bowls and pouring a little heavy cream over the top. Refrigerate any leftovers airtight.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
196 Comments on “Peach (or Pluot) Cobbler with Hot Sugar Crust”
Brownies! I love Bravetart”s brownies or the classic Alice Medrich cocoa brownies. And your fudgy brownies are craaazy! would love to try this book.
This looks so yummy! I love fruit desserts but my families’ favorite dessert is a chocolate cake that is called a war time cake because it doesn’t use butter or milk (those were rationed during a war). I started making it because one of my children is allergic to dairy. However, everyone who tastes it loves it and requests the recipe even if dairy allergies are not a problem in their home.
Share! No fair. =)
This time of year I make a crustless apple tarte tatin , recipe published at least 20 years ago in the Montreal Gazette. Peeled, cored,sliced apples are baked for 15 minutes , then a topping of flour, butter and sugar, cinnamon and and sliced almonds goes over top and baked. A now legendary favorite with family and friends.
My favorite desert is surprisingly simple. Homemade chocolate-dipped biscotti and a cup of tea!
Wow this looks like a great new type of fruit crisp – so unlike the traditional but looks so good – will be interested in trying!
My favorite dessert is anything with peaches, but especially a peach crisp. Preferably with a great cup of coffee on the side. 🙂
I am in love with peach pie! Peaches are just my favorite thing ever! I do think I need to try your recipe here, delicious!
I love all fruit based desserts especially a combination of fruits like a Blueberry-Peach Crisp. But I can’t leave out the copycat recipe of NYC’s Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies!
Dutch crumb apple pie!
Greetings!
As a little girl, I waited all year long for the holidays because that meant being able to get the beautiful marzipan fruit so beautifully crafted by bakeries! When I was old enough to learn about baking, I baked anything that included marzipan! My favorite dessert then and now are the tri-colored Italian rainbow cookies available in Italian and Jewish bakeries. I cannot eat one without thinking of those dear little marzipan fruit treats.
Pear and rosemary pie is my favorite. Had it somewhere and have tried to replicate since then and never made it as good
My favorite is my Mom’s apple Brown Betty
My favorite dessert to order in restaurants is tiramisu because I love it but I don’t want to make a whole pan to eat at home! But I love the luscious, creamy lightness. To make at home and eat, my favorite chocolate chip cookie would probably be the one I would pick for my desert island if I could only have one dessert for the rest of my life: the Christy’s copycat CCC recipe. Hearty from ground oats, chock full of pecans and chocolate chips, it’s the best!
I borrowed Genius Desserts from the library just this weekend and you’re absolutely right! Such a great collection of the “Greatest Hits” of the current food era! It’s definitely on my wish list now. Thanks for the opportunity!
My current favorite is my husbands honey toasted pecan gelato. He loves dessert cookbooks. I love for him to read new ones for good ideas!
Favorite dessert recipe of all time!?!? Impossible! But currently…peanut butter cheesecake 🙂
This looks like a real contender for a favorite desert but right now I’d have to settle on peach pie with a crumb top.
This looks too good to pass by. Time to take I break from my favourite crisp topping I think!
Forgot to say: my favourite crisp topping is from Alice Waters, the Chez Panisse Cafe cookbook. People swoon: It’s all the butter.
Choosing an all-time favorite dessert is a serious matter! I think that might require some consideration. My current favorite, however is the classic fudgy brownie. You just can’t go wrong there.
Thanks for running this giveaway! So grateful.
I love Sour Cream Raisin Pie. It’s one if those old time recipes. You have to love raisins, but that is no problem for husband and myself…we love it for breakfast.
Thanks.
Alexandra, a chocoholic here, however, a true non failed pie for me is Kahlua pecan pie.
It has never failed me.
Thanks, Judykay
So hard to choose, but I know that when I make a chocolate layered cake with whipped chocolate frosting (latest was Wesleyan Choc Cake from Cook’s Illustrated) it is . . . decadent, memory-filled, sheer bliss. Cutting, slicing, forking . . . every bite was a treat (some might call it ‘mindful,’ but I’ll just stick with appreciative).
Desserts are such a ‘bonus’ in our lives, such a symbol of ‘I’m not done lovin’ you at the table!’ Bring ’em on! (and walk it all off with a smile the next day).
MRS
We love apple crumb pie at our house. We just finished one I made on Sunday and it was delish!
Our all time favorite is Caramel Rolls…the caramel is equal amounts brown sugar and cream and half as much butter. I use Moms Every Hour Buns recipe or frozen cinnamon roll dough in a pinch.
My favorite dessert is what my family has while camping at the end of a fire, called banana boats. A whole, skin on, split banana filled with chocolate chips and marshmallows. Wrap in foil and bake on coals until chocolate and marshmallows melt. Very basic and decadebt all in one.
I cannot pick one favorite dessert, but the top contenders are a fresh coconut sour cream cake my mother has made for years, a flourless chocolate cake (recipe from Bon Appetit many years ago) & a peach-blueberry crisp with vanilla bean ice cream. The book looks amazing; excited to check out all the recipes.
I had some peaches I had frozen because they were mealy. So I was happy to have a recipe like this to try. It was harder than described to spread the topping out over the fruit. And my cobbler didn’t look nearly as nice before I put it in the oven. But magically it all puffed up and managed to cover the bare spots. I’d definitely make this again.
My favorite dessert is German Chocolate Cake.
My family loves my apple crisp
I have made quite a few cakes with fruit from recipes I found on Food 52…..it is one of my go-to sites….
As for favorite dessert, there is no way I can honestly answer that…..I love so many too much to narrow it down to just one…lol
Chocolate chip cookies. Always and forever. Blondies/brownies are second. Then lemon-anything…