Pam Anderson created this easy doughless berry cobbler recipe and I wondered why she called it that, since a cobbler has dough dropped on top to create a cobblestone effect. Silly me. When it baked, the cobbled top created itself from the batter. Another bonus: a bowl and whisk are all you need to make this.
This goes together in about 15 minutes but even less with frozen fruit, which can be used right from the freezer. I used fresh strawberries; I couldn’t believe finding Driscoll’s on sale at two pounds for $3. They’re patented and are the only strawberries I can buy in New England that actually taste like berries after a cross-country trek. Some went into this recipe and the rest are being enjoyed with cereal and as snacks.
The recipe was part of an article Anderson wrote for USA Weekend called Festive Summer Supper. I’m so happy that winter seems to be over at last, although some snow remains on the ground, that I couldn’t wait to leapfrog to summer, at least to one of its classic tastes.
Fast and Easy Berry Cobbler
Adapted from Pam Anderson
1/2 stick / 56g unsalted butter
2 cups / 260g sliced strawberries or other summer berries*
OR
1 12-oz bag frozen berries, unthawed
3/4 cup / 150g sugar
3/4 cup / 100g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup/6oz/175 mL milk [I used skim, it was fine ~ ella]
1 – 2 TB sugar for topping
*Weight and metric friends: 260g was the exact weight my 2 cups of sliced strawberries showed on the scale this time. Sliced thicker or thinner, two cups would weigh a different amount. Two cups of whole blueberries would weigh a different amount, etc. This type of ingredient really points up how imprecise the American volume measurement system is and how unpredictable the results can be. ~ ella
Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350F/180C/Gas 4. Place the butter in an 8-inch (20.3 cm) square or round baking dish or cake pan and put into the oven to melt. Remove when melted.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Add the milk and whisk well.
Pour the batter on top of the melted butter — it’s okay if it’s still hot — and scatter the berries on top. Sprinkle on the additonal sugar.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serving it with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream is not out of the question.
Ella’s notes: Start checking it at 45 minutes. I gave it 50 minutes in my oven, which was the outer limit for over-browning.
If you have an English cake whisk, which seems to have become impossible to find, it’s the perfect tool for this recipe and is what I used.
Copyright (C) 2009 From Scratch All Rights Reserved 
Print This Post
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve made a very similar recipe using canned fruit (which you pour in juice and all), but I suspect yours would taste better.
Kathy G’s last blog post..Observations
I’m not a fruit snob by any means, but frozen usually is better than canned. And sometimes the fresh stuff is so mediocre to bad that canned can be better.
Now, canned pie filling..that’s where I draw the line!
I have not heard of Cobbler, another nice recipe to learn, thanks!
Ooops, I have mistyped my url, can you delete the previous one for me? Thanks
Sure thing, Janet!
One of these days I’m going to write about the differences among cobblers, crisps, grunts, slumps and bettys. They’re all similar but slightly different — and more than a little confusing!
This recipe is as easy as any of them get. I hope you like it if you try it.
I came here to just say “mmmmm”. Another yummy even I can do. But then I read your response above. While I’ve heard of three of those—grunts? slumps?
Sounds like me in the morning.
MusEditions’s last blog post..More on Being
Hi, Muse! Grunts and slumps are old New England desserts and their names are often used interchangably. They made with fruit and biscuit dough and are different from a pandowdy (eek, another one!) in that a pandowdy is deep dish. Dang, I’m hungry now.
You should try this cobbler with local strawberries, which I’ll bet you can get right now. And I am envious.