Allison Cafe

The interesting thing about cobblers is that there are a lot of recipe variations available out there. What you do not want is one that has so much butter and flour that it takes away from the fresh peach flavor. Sure the butter tastes good, but we sometimes are trying to enjoy dessert without sabotaging our figures. After all, it is swim suit season as well. I like to use a recipe which has only 5 other ingredients in addition to the peaches. It simply uses homemade granola, brown sugar, butter (only 1 tablespoon!), tapioca, ginger, and the peaches of course!

Click “more” for the recipes to our homemade peach cobbler and granola.

A side note about granola. Granola can be deceptively high calorie if you do not read the ingredients carefully. Try to steer clear of granolas that have a lot of added sugars and fats; or better yet, make it yourself! Making granola at home ensures that you only add the basic necessities and still end up with a healthy result.

Recently we made a batch of our simple and delicious peach cobbler. We made our own granola from scratch. And we served it with vanilla bean ice cream. I could tell it was a hit at our dinner party when I saw everyone scrapping their dish, savoring the very last bite and raving about the flavors of the peach and vanilla bean ice cream combination. When making this dessert for a lot of people, I like to use individual soufflé dishes, or ramekins. You can bake and serve from the same dish, and they are already portioned out for your guests. Saving you time, and creating a beautiful result in the crisp white stoneware. As an added bonus, the dishes are warm from baking, so the cobbler is sure to stay warm for your guests.

Did you know that you can also make great desserts, such as cobbler, in the slow cooker?  I tried it recently and it turned out wonderful.  It is just as easy as making it in the oven, except that it takes a little longer so you have to plan ahead.  But the good news is that you don’t have to fire up the oven and heat up the kitchen.  You simply place it in the slow cooker and walk away.  The result is very moist and the slow cooker will keep it warm until you are ready to serve the cobbler.  The slow cooker is another great option if you do not have access to an oven, which can happen on vacations or just when you oven decides to die on you right before a dinner party.

So the next time you are strolling through your local farmer’s market, try picking out some tasty peaches and creating your own fruit filled dessert, such as a peach cobbler or pie. You won’t regret it, in fact you’ll be wishing you had doubled the recipe! And don’t skimp on the toppings, there are some great low calorie ice cream or frozen yogurt options out there. Or like the granola, make it yourself. Taking a little extra time to create your own ingredients isn’t that hard to do, and you are in control of what you are eating.  Happy baking!

Simple and Delicious Peach Cobbler

Yields 4 servings, using 1 quart baking dish or 4 small soufflé dishes

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1: Place the peaches in a large bowl. Combine the tapioca and the ginger, then toss with the peaches. In another small bowl, mix the granola with the melted butter. Add ¾ cup of the granola mixture to the peaches. Lightly coat a 1 quart soufflé dish or clay baker with cooking spray. Place the peach mixture into the dish and top with the remaining ¼ cup of the granola mixture.

Step 2: Place the dish on the center rack of the oven. Bake at 400 degrees Farenheit for 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden brown. When done, remove the soufflé from the oven and place on cooling rack. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream or Greek yogurt.

Note: Simply double the recipe to make 8 servings in a 2 quart baking dish.

Individual Variation: Instead of using a 1 quart dish, try using 4 small soufflé dishes, such as the French White Ramekins by CorningWare, for individual servings. Follow the directions as listed above, dividing the mixture evenly among the ramekins or small soufflé dishes. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, then place the individual dishes on top. Bake as directed above. Serve warm in the ramekins with with fresh whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream or Greek yogurt.

Slow Cooker Variation: This recipe is based on a 6.5 quart slow cooker and a 1 quart baking dish, if you have a larger cooker, try using a 2 quart dish and double the recipe. Mix ingredients same as in Step 1 above. Then cut a piece of aluminum foil about 24 inches long. Fold in half lengthwise, then fold in half again two more times to create a strip about 24 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Place the dish on the center of the foil strip and bring the sides up to meet, twist together to form a handle. Place the cooking rack into the slow cooker. Set the dish on the rack by using the foil cradle to help lift the dish, and gently lower the dish into the pot and place on the cooking rack. Place the cover on the slow cooker and turn it on. Set the time to 5 hours on low (adjust time as needed according to your machine’s instructions). When done, remove the soufflé from the slow cooker using the foil strip to help lift it. Serve it warm with fresh whipped cream, vanilla bean ice cream or Greek yogurt.

Homemade Granola

Yields 3-4 cups of granola

Ingredients

Preparation

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, mix well. Add the mixture to a 15×10 inch pan (or a 12×9 jelly roll pan), spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring after 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Serve with yogurt, milk or fresh fruit.

Variation: Add almonds, sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds to the mixture for added flavor. After removing the granola from the oven, try stirring in some mixed dried fruit or raisins for granola with fruit.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Makes 4 quarts

Ingredients

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the milk, sugar and vanilla, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the whipping cream. Freeze the mixture in a 4 or 5 quart ice cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Portions of this post as written by Allison Baloglu for Your Smart Kitchen

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