Fresh Blackberry Cobbler
Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh blackberries, tops removed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 4-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced thin
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1-3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 pound frozen unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons frozen lard, cut into thin slices
- 8 to 12 teaspoons ice water
- 5 sugar cubes, crushed
Directions
- When ready to assemble cobbler, preheat oven to 425°. Remove remaining dough from refrigerator and roll out top crust to fit dish. Fill pastry-lined dish with berries. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Sprinkle over berries. Top with nutmeg and 3 tablespoons of butter. Cut any leftover pastry into 2-inch pieces and mix into berries. Moisten rim of dough in baking dish. Fit top pastry over dish and seal edges of dough together inside dish rim. Cut a few slits in center to allow steam to escape. Sprinkle crushed sugar cubes on top of pastry. Dot with remaining butter slices. Place dish on baking sheet in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more, or until crust is a deep golden brown.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt and granulated sugar. Cut in butter and lard pieces with pastry blender until mixture resembles very coarse meal; do not overmix. Form a well in middle of mixture and begin incorporating water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture just begins to cling. Mixture should hold together but should not feel damp. Divide dough in half. Wrap each half in waxed paper and refrigerate at least 1 hour before rolling out. On a cold floured surface, roll out half the dough and line a 2-inch-deep, 2-quart oval baking dish. Cover dish and any excess dough with waxed paper and refrigerate.
- Remove cobbler from oven and cool on a rack. Serve warm.
