Blackberry cobbler

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

After dropping my oldest son off at preschool this morning, my youngest and I went to a blackberry farm. I was worried that he might eat more than he put in the basket, but he actually did a great job of helping me fill up our containers! The blackberry bushes were thorn-free, which was something that I'd never seen before. I remember spending, what seemed like, hours picking wild blackberries when I was a kid. It's funny how you never lose the ability to detect what a berry will taste like by the way that it feels in your hand when you pick it from the vine.

As fall is quickly approaching, it has triggered a feeling in me that I get every year about this time. Knowing that summer is almost over sends me into a panic and I start scheduling camping trips and baking cobblers just to squeeze a few more summery things into the year. Tonight I made a light soup with farro, chickpeas, and some CSA veggies from one of my favorite cookbooks (Deborah Madison's Vegetable Soups book).

What better way to finish this meal and this day than with warm blackberry cobbler? As usual, I made up my own recipe that is lower in fat and sugar than most. I love, love, loved this cobbler and so did my husband!

Vegan Blackberry Cobbler
4-5 cups fresh blackberries
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1/2 cup organic sugar, divided
1 tsp orange zest
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, melted
1 cup non-dairy milk (I used rice)
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

  1. Preheat oven to 375〫F (190〫C). Gently combine blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, and orange zest and set aside.
  2. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Whisk to combine well but don't over-mix.
  3. Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish (or deep dish pie or casserole dish). Pour batter into prepared pan then pour the berries over the top (do not stir- the cake will puff up around the berries as it bakes). Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy!

What end-of-summer things are you enjoying?

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