Peach cobbler
by Louise Robinson

Ingredients

PEACH COBBLER FILLING
8 peaches, ripe, halved, stoned and cut into wedges
1 vanilla pod, split and deseeded
1 lime, zested
40g of light muscovado sugar
1 orange, zested and juiced
TOPPING
420g of plain flour
30g of caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder, level
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
135g of unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 2cm cubes
buttermilk, 200–270ml as needed
1 large egg yolk
double cream, 1–2 tbsp
1 tbsp of Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

Method

1
Preheat the oven to its highest setting
2
Place the peach slices in an ovenproof serving dish (approximately 30cm long). Add the vanilla seeds and pod, lime zest, muscovado sugar, orange zest and juice. Stir gently to combine
3
Turn the oven down to 190°C/gas mark 5. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the peaches have softened slightly (the length of time will depend on how ripe they are)
4
Meanwhile prepare the cobbler topping. Sift the flour, 30g of the caster sugar, the baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl
5
Add the chilled butter cubes to the mixture and lightly rub into the flour, using your fingertips, until most of it is incorporated. It is fine if there are some small pieces of butter visible
6
Using a butter knife, stir approximately 200ml of the buttermilk into the mixture until everything comes together to form a dough, adding more buttermilk if necessary
7
Gently form a ball with the dough and tip out onto a lightly dusted work surface
8
Pat or gently roll out the dough until it is approximately 2cm thick. Using a 5cm plain pastry cutter dipped in flour, cut out as many biscuits as you can and set aside
9
Add the egg yolk and 1–2 teaspoons of double cream to make an egg wash
10
When the peaches are cooked, remove from the oven, discard the vanilla pod and arrange the biscuits closely together on top of the filling. Brush them with the egg wash, sprinkle with demerara sugar and return to the oven for around 20 minutes until the biscuits are golden
11
Serve warm, with scoops of vanilla ice cream

Courtesy of our friends at Great British Chefs, for this and more recipes please visit their website : www.greatbritishchefs.com