Autumn Leaves Cobbler

This cobbler is one I made up after going on a walk around our New England neighborhood, just as the leaves were changing. It's got the colors of the leaves, some seasonal fruit, and some cozy warmth from the spices...and from the fact that it's cobbler! I am baking for just two people so this recipe only makes enough cobbler for 4 servings, but it's easy enough to double...or triple, if you like.



For the Crust and Dumplings
1 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter ,chilled and cubed

1 tbsp shortening ,chilled and cubed*

1.5 tbsp cold water


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees(F) and grease a 6x6 glass baking pan...or some equally small vessel suitable for baking. Then in a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Grab your butter and shortening from the freezer and pinch them in until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the water. It should just be damp enough to hold together when you close it in your fist. Mash the dough into one lump, cover the bowl and put it in the fridge while you prepare your luscious fruit filling.

Luscious Fruit Filling
1 tbsp corn starch**

1/2 c sugar

1/16 tsp cloves***

1/8 tsp cinnamon***

1 small apple

1 medium nectarine or peach

2 small plums (all of the fruit should add up to one pound total...so should you find yourself substituting, keep that amount in mind.)



Combine the sugar, corn starch, cloves and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Peel, core, and slice your apple into 1/2 to 1 inch slices, pit and slice your stone fruit to the same size. (To pit the nectarines and plums I usually just cut them in half starting at the stem and going around, twist one side off then pick the pit out with the tip of the knife.) Mix the fruit with the sugar and set aside while you get back to your dough.

Take about 1/3 of the dough and break them into little marbles (1/2 inch diameter?) and put them in the bottom of your baking vessel. Then put the fruit slurry (it should already be throwing juice) in the pan. Finally, roll out the remainder of your dough until it's big enough to cover the fruit (you don't have to make a seal like a pie, but you know, try to cover as much of the fruit as you can). I don't actually own a rolling pin, so I use one of those aluminum water canteens to roll out my dough. I used to have a really lovely Bordeaux bottle, but it got knocked off it's home on top of the fridge...

Bake for 1 hour, then broil for 3 minutes. Cool for 15-30 minutes before wrapping yourself and your cobbler buddy (mine is my lover) into a cozy blanket with steaming bowls of autumn-y goodness!



*I just throw it in a small bowl with the butter and put the bowl in the freezer while I do all of the rest of my prep.

**Okay, so this isn't really something that people usually keep on hand, but it's cheap, and it goes a really long way. It is what makes your cobbler so luscious!

*** I know these are infinitesimal measurements. The thing is, I want a little interest, but I don't want to loose the flavors of the fruit either. I usually just do one tiny pinch of the cloves and two tiny pinches of cinnamon.
****Nectarines and peaches are actually not in season, but I had some squirreled away in the freezer from the summer time. You can buy them frozen and sliced too, if you want.