Fruit Cobbler or Clafouti (egg-free)

When Miss Hauser taught us to make this cobbler in high school cooking class, she told us to remember the recipe in case there was a war and eggs were rationed. It has become a favorite in our family. True heaven is a square of this cobbler made with boysenberries, still warm from the oven, with homemade Vanilla Custard ice cream (or egg-free vanilla ice cream if you're allergic to eggs). It is also great with whipped cream, custard sauce, a fresh fruit sauce or plain. At a relaxed breakfast or brunch, it can stand in for high-labor waffles topped with fruit. It's best served soon after baking.

Today, I found out that our homey cobbler is actually a form of the more exotic-sounding French Clafouti or Clafoutis. Clafouti or Clafoutis is "A baked dessert composed of a layer of fresh fruit topped with a thick batter." The fruit layer has a custard-like quality where it intersects the cake. The fruit becomes thickened during baking and no thickener is added to the fruit beforehand. It resembles those lemon or chocolate pudding cakes where the filling and cake switch positions during baking. The Joy of Cooking has a recipe for Clafouti made with dark cherries, cognac and a thin batter rich in eggs with no other leavening. Probably comes out somewhat crepe-like in texture.

Our homey American version is not a deep-dish cobbler. It is excellent for boysenberries, blackberries, blueberries and other precious fruits because it "stretches" the fruit between several servings. Peaches, apricots or pie cherries are also wonderful choices. Add some raspberries or blueberries to the peaches or pineapple to the apricots or cherries if you like.

For cobblers topped with biscuits, butter cookie dough or pie dough, The Best Recipe, 1999 edition, has an elaborate work-up of recipes for thickened fillings and toppings. There are also directions for "Dowdy", Brown Betty and crisps. Can't vouch for the newer editions. I may post an example with the butter cookie dough if I get a chance to try it soon. Sounds great. But the recipe below is one you can really "cobble together" quickly. Even if it might not be what some people normally think of as a cobbler.

Cooking lesson - Sifting Flour: This recipe calls for sifted flour. Miss Hauser was a stickler for sifting flour before measuring, then spooning lightly into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife. We then sifted the flour together with the leavening, salt and any spices once or twice more. This type of sifting is still used by championship bakers who want perfect results. But for most modern recipes which do not call for sifted flour, stir the flour, spoon lightly into a cup and level with the flat back of a knife.

As an experiment, I used the "stir and spoon" method to measure a cup of flour, then sifted it through a fairly fine sieve (I don't even have a flour sifter) and measured it again after spooning into the cup and leveling. I had about 2 Tablespoons extra flour. So if you're too pressed for time to sift the flour in this recipe, reduce the amount of flour to 1 3/4 cups. I still sift leavening with part of the flour through a fine seive when I bake (unless I can mix the leavening with abrasive sugar) then whisk well into the remaining flour. I hate lumps of baking soda in baked goods. Sifting the leavening with the flour produces a finer-grained crumb.

Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. If using bare aluminum, grease bottom and sides well, flour the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fruit Mixture:

2 to 3 cups fresh or frozen fruit, peeled and sliced if necessary.
1 cup water or juice, more or less depending on juiciness of the fruit
Up to 1 cup sugar (depending on tartness of the fruit)
1 Tablespoon butter

Bring fruit, water, sugar and butter to a boil, stirring occasionally, to soften fruit slightly and dissolve sugar. Set aside.

Cake Batter

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) softened (not melted)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest or other flavoring (optional)

2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon if using unsalted butter)

1 cup milk

Cream butter and sugar together well. Beat in flavoring, if desired. Mix and sift dry ingredients together well. Stir about 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, then 1/3 of the milk. Continue by thirds, stirring lightly after each addition, until smooth. Do not over-stir. Spread batter evenly in baking pan with a rubber spatula. Spoon hot fruit mixture gently over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the lightly browned cake springs back when touched lightly near the center.

Serve warm or at room temperature from the pan or cool, cover and refrigerated for later serving - individual servings may be warmed in the microwave.