In cooking and baking, you’ll always hear that successful recipes have different textures for a well rounded product. Today, I’ll be baking a Fresh Cherry Cobbler A’ La Mode using fresh cherries.
Frozen cherries can be used when fresh is not in season.
The textures which make it exceptional will be along the lines of ‘temperature’. Serve the cobbler WARM with ice cream. The contrasting warm and cold temperatures really make this a great treat. I love nuts. So, to add yet another dimension of texture, I sprinkle finely chopped nuts on the cobbler.
It’s an easy dessert easy to put together and a down-to-earth type of dessert…not pretentious.
Cherries are a super fruit.
Cherries are packed with antioxidants. They have the highest levels of antioxidants – containing about the same as blueberries.
Ever since I’ve taken a pastry techniques course at The French Culinary Institute in NYC, I’m hooked on baking with eau de vie, which is fruit brandy. We used it in some of our baking in class, and it really made the pastries more exquisite. David Lebovitz talks about that very point in his website. Check it out…it’s a good read.
I used a recipe from Jo Bakes as a starting point, but made several changes. You can find her recipe here.
My changes/additions were pats of butter, cubed butter in the dough, chocolate chips, cherry brandy, and a cinnamon-walnut topping. This recipe didn’t call for cornstarch. I wanted to add it for thickness in the sauce. I wish I had because it needed the cornstarch. So, I’ve added it in the recipe, despite not testing it. You can always add more or less, if you deem it necessary.
FARM MARKETS are a great place to buy fresh produce.
The atmosphere is laid back, comfortable and friendly. I’ll be visiting several farm markets this summer and will be posting photos on my blog after my visits. My first visit this summer was at the Montgomery Farmers Market.
~ Below are pictures I took of the vendors I met at the farmers market ~
Montgomery
The Montgomery Farmers Market is sponsored by Montgomery Friends of Open Space.
It’s in its ninth year of operation.
Where: 1378 Us Highway 206, Skillman , NJ 08558
(Located at the Village Shopper on Rt. 206, North of Route 518,
across from Montgomery Theatre and Shoprite)
Date: Saturdays - from June 11 until mid-October
Time: 9:00am–1:00pm
For more information email mfosnj@gmail.com
Available at the Market: Vegetables from local farmers, including organic, biodynamic vegetables and eggs, locally grown chicken, fruit and meat pies, grass-fed beef and pork, flowers, bread, fruit, baked goods, music, activities, festivities, and fun.
MFOS Farmers' Market
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Village Shopping Center
US HYW 206 (just north of 518)
Skillman, NJ 08558
MFOS runs a farmers' market every Saturday from June through October from 9 am to 1 pm. By offering fresh, locally-grown produce, poultry, organic vegetables, herbs, flowers, salsas, fresh bread, and more, MFOS is supporting local farmers and New Jersey
1803 Route 27
732-846-7139
Hours of operation:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 6pm
June to October – Farm Markets
Friends of Montgomery
Route 202, Montgomery , NJ
Saturdays 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Also…
Between
2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave.
2nd Ave. and 3rd Ave.
Fridays 11:00AM - 5:00PM
SUYDAM FARMS - Learn more about the products and history. Stop by to see a 300 year old working farm in beautiful Somerset , NJ
908-689-2906
Tree-Licious Orchards, a family tradition of farming in its 7th generation. Located in western New Jersey , alongside a stop on the old Morris Canal
609-397-2212
Wools Farm is OPEN EVERY WEEKEND
April through December from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
WoodsEdge Wools Farm has one of the largest herds of suri llamas in the world; representing a wide diversity of genetic lines. We were also the first alpaca breeding farm in the state of New Jersey
President Diana Reinhardt
P.O Box 716
P.O Box 716
908-369-0146
The Neshanic Garden Club Incorporated was begun July 29, 1929 started by a group of fifteen women; club is now sixty-five plus members (men and women) strong. This year the club celebrates its 80th Anniversary!
" To beautify the town and its surrounding areas."
Objectives:
"To stimulate an interest in gardening, to urge the preservation of our trees, birds and wild flowers, to study the art of gardening in all its aspects, and to encourage civic beauty."
Monday - Friday - 6am to 6:30pm Saturday - 6am to 6pm Sunday - 6am to 4pm
Witherspoon Bread Company Selections
Witherspoon Bread Company sells handmade breads, baked goods, organic products and sandwiches with an artisan old world style. Bread is baked in a stone hearth oven resulting in an artisan bread making style of old-world Europe .
Selections Include:
Baguette
Ciabatta
Boule
Country
Multi-Grain Whole Wheat
Challah
Focaccia
Dinner Rolls
Croissant
Brioche
White
Sweets & Treats
Panini
Specialty Breads
Specialty Foods
484 Bunker Hill Road
908 359-5218
Store Hours:
Monday-Friday, 10-6 Saturday, 10-5 Sunday, 12-5
The Griggstown Farm Market sells many items including seasonal fruit pies, chicken & turkey pot pies, savory quiche, poultry sausages, and fresh seasonal soups & stews. All of these products are prepared in their USDA kitchen. Specialty items can also be found in the Market along with fresh poultry, game and quail eggs direct from the farm. In addition to the Market’s year round products, extensive Thanksgiving and Holiday menus are offered to complement the farm raised turkeys sold during November and December. These menus are available seasonally in the store and on the website and all products can be ordered by phone or in person.
The Best Chicken Pot Pie on the East Coast
The fresh ingredients truly make the homemade Chicken Pot Pies created by Griggstown chef Matthew Sytsema special. These pies are also sold frozen.
The pies (5 & 10 inch sizes) are filled with oven-roasted Griggstown Quail Farm chicken or turkey, carrots, parsnips, celery, turnips, onions, fennel, cremini mushrooms and a signature gravy.
Mark and Lynne Faille
1932 US Highway 206Skillman , NJ 08558
Phone: 908-359-6555
Retail Store Hours: Saturday 10-4 PM
OR by appointment.
1932 US Highway 206
Phone: 908-359-6555
Retail Store Hours: Saturday 10-4 PM
OR by appointment.
Family owned and operated farm that believes that animals should be allowed to graze peacefully and grow naturally without any interference from us. Their beef is fed on organically managed fields without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. You can find their organic meats served at local restaurants such as Eno Terra, Mediterra, Witherspoon Grill and Nomad Pizza. This year they will offer ground beef, steaks, ribs and bacon at the market. Special orders are available.
Now, off to the kitchen to bake Cherry Cobbler!
Fresh Cherry Cobbler A’ La Mode
By Jo Cooks
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen
Serves: 3 (3 inch ramekins) OR 2 (4 inch ramekins)
INGREDIENTS
Cherry filling:
2 cups pitted fresh cherries
2 tablespoons sugar
dash salt
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon Kirsch (Cherry Brandy)
1 tablespoon lemon juice * if not using Kirsch
chocolate chips (4-6 chips per ramekin)
pats of butter (1 pat per ramekin)
sprinkling of cinnamon per ramekin
Dough:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
dash salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 stick - (2 ounces) cubed butter
1/4 cup buttermilk
Cinnamon-Walnut Topping:
¼ cup roasted walnuts or pecans
dash cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
2. Butter two ramekins (4″ in diameter), (or three ramekins, 3” in diameter). Set aside.
3. NUTS: Roast ¼ cup chopped nuts for 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool. Add to small bowl. Add in sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix. Set aside.
4. CHERRIES: Remove stems, rinse, dry and pit 2 cups cherries with a cherry pitter. *To avoid staining: Use disposable gloves and an apron.
5. Put pitted cherries in a medium size bowl.
6. To cherries, add sugar, salt, cornstarch and kirsch. Mix. Set aside.
7. DOUGH: In a medium bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cubed butter.
8. Mix well with a fork (or pastry cutter) until there are beads of butter throughout.
9. Pour in buttermilk. Mix dough until crumbly.
10. ASSEMBLE: Pour half the cherries in each buttered ramekin.
11. Add chocolate chips.
12. Dot with a pat of butter.
13. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
14. Add the crumbled dough on top of the cherries.
15. Sprinkle with cinnamon-walnut topping mixture.
16. Put ramekins on a tray. (preferably a parchment-lined tray)
17. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
18. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!
FRESH CHERRY COBBLER A’ LA MODE
PHOTO TUTORIAL BY
Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
Butter two ramekins (4″ in diameter), (or three ramekins, 3” in diameter). Set aside.
NUTS: Roast ¼ cup chopped nuts for 5-7 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool.
Add to small bowl. Add in sugar, cinnamon and salt. Mix. Set aside.
CHERRIES: Remove stems, rinse, dry and pit 2 cups cherries with a cherry pitter.
*To avoid staining: Use disposable gloves and an apron.
How to Pit Cherries Using A Cherry Pitter:
Push in grey tab (on right) to unlock. Pitter is ready for use.
Position the cherry with stem side up.
Squeeze handles. The splatter guard was used but kept slipping off…I stopped using it.
It wasn’t necessary anyway.
Voila! Cherry is pitted. Continue until all cherries are pitted.
I used disposable gloves. Since I didn’t use the splatter guard,
I just made sure I pitted the cherries down into the bowl.
Finally pitted all the cherries.
No pitter available?
You can pit the cherries with a paper clip.
Check out this YouTube video by leanKitchen on how to do it.
Or, you can pit the cherries with a pastry tip.
Check out this website by thekitchn.
Put pitted cherries in a medium size bowl.
To cherries, add sugar, salt, kirsch (cherry brandy) and
cornstarch. (I didn’t add it when I made this and it was needed for thickness)
Mix. Set aside.
DOUGH: In a medium bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cubed butter.
Mix well with a fork (or pastry cutter) until there are beads of butter throughout.
Pour in buttermilk.
Mix dough until crumbly.
ASSEMBLE: Pour half the cherries in each buttered ramekin.
Add chocolate chips. Dot with a pat of butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
Add the crumbled dough on top of the cherries.
Sprinkle with cinnamon-walnut topping mixture.
Put ramekins on a tray (preferably a parchment-lined tray)
Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Peace in Baking,
Carmen
Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul
