In The Homesick Texan Cookbook (Hyperion, Sept.), Southerner turned New Yorker Lisa Fain reports that peach cobbler can be found in all quarters of the Lone Star State. But this version, from Fain’s great-grandmother, is perfect for a small Manhattan kitchen, employing just a couple bowls for mixing, and my favorite all-purpose vessel, the cast-iron skillet. How ground ginger found its way into this dish is a mystery, but it provides just the right zing to counter the copious amount of sugar (though probably not enough health benefits to counter the whole stick of butter). And while part of the fun is to let the baking powder do its magic of lifting the crust up and around the fruit, next time I’ll use a quarter cup less batter. This tasty batch came out more like a peach upside-down cake, rather than what the author describes as “peaches nestled in a buttery pastry.”
Peach Cobbler from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
8 servings
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups sliced fresh peaches, peeled and pitted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pour melted butter into a large cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch-square baking pan. Mix together the flour, sugar, milk, and baking powder, and pour the batter over the butter.
3. Toss the sliced peaches with the cinnamon and ginger. Place the peaches on top of the batter and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
