Cherry Lime Cobbler with Vanilla Lime Biscuits
Remember last week when I made Cherry Vanilla Jam? Well, by accident I misread the recipe and thought it said 6 pounds of cherries when it actually said 6 cups. Oops! But no matter, because this happened. This wonderful, memorable cherry lime concoction topped with the most tender vanilla-lime enhanced biscuits I've ever tasted. It's all how you look at things, right? Makin' lemonade out of lemons, or in this case, cherries!
I love a good cobbler and this one has such an interesting mix of flavors and textures and comes together in a very untraditional cobbler-like way since you cook the filling and biscuits separately. It's the perfect summer dessert, other than the cherry pitting part. But let's not talk about the pain--think about the gain, people!! First off, there's the luscious cherry filling which is not at all gloppy like some cherry pie fillings tend to be. The cherries cook down and get deliciously softened but still hold their shape. Plus, it's sweet but not overly so because the lime juice and zest give it just the tang it needs. It's so good you almost don't need the biscuits...
And I say almost, because as much as I LOVE the cherry mixture, the carb fanatic in me, might love the biscuits even more. Partly it's the lime vanilla pairing (which is quickly becoming my new flavor combo favorite) and partly it's the tender moist crumb combined with the golden, crunchy sugary top that does it for me. Divine! And super easy to make. We had a couple of biscuits leftover and they made a wonderful breakfast for someone the next morning which had me making a mental note to add these to the next brunch I have.
Even people who aren't keen on "fruit desserts" will go for this. Especially when you top the molten berries with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream!
One bite and you'll be hooked. I foresee a remake of this when our boys are home for a visit!! So happy all the summer fruits are finally coming out of the cold!
Cherry Lime Cobbler with Vanilla Lime Biscuits
Makes 6-7 servings (the original recipe makes 6 but I got 7 biscuits and you could even probably stretch it to 8)
Prep Time for the filling: 15 minutes, plus time to pit the cherries; Prep Time for biscuits: 15 minutes; Bake Time for filling and biscuits: About 17-20 minutes
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 cups whole pitted sweet cherries (close to 3 pounds)
- grated zest of 1 lime divided (you'll use some for the filling and some for the biscuits)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
For the biscuits
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch or two of lime zest (leftover from filling)
- scant 1 tablespoon milk
The Recipe
1. To make the filling: Place the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium saucepan and stir together. Add the water and turn the heat to medium, stirring so that the sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Add the cherries and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in most of the lime zest (leave a pinch or two for the biscuits) and all of the lime juice. Transfer to a 9x13-inch glass baking dish and set aside.
2. Divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 450ºF.
3. To make the biscuits: Whisk the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vanilla bean paste and remaining lime zest and then add to the dry ingredients. Use a fork to mix the ingredients just until the dough begins to come together. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so, just until the dough holds together. Gather the dough into a round and pat it down to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or cookie cutter dipped in flour to cut out rounds and transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. Gather together the scraps, pat down again and cut out more rounds until all the dough has been used up. I got 7 rounds but you could probably get 8 too. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the milk and then sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
4. Place the baking dish with the cherries on the bottom third of the oven. Place the biscuits on the top third. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the cherry mixture is bubbly and hot. Ladle the cherry mixture into bowls and top each with a biscuit and a scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't hurt either. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from an old issue of Bon Appétit Magazine.
