Just peachy, thank you...

Suddenly, our peaches are ready.  The young tree that Katie and Bill planted just last last spring has produced fruit, and not just a little fruit, a whole harvest-full of sweet, juicy peaches!  Yesterday we were happy to pluck a peach off a branch and have at it, but today things got a bit more sophisticated.  This afternoon I got a text message from Katie.  It was a photo of something I couldn't quite identify without my glasses.  It looked like biscuits or shortbread, but underneath I did notice brilliantly-peachy peach slices.  It was beautiful.  The message attached to the photo was short and sweet - "dessert..."  And it was, especially after I stopped at Stewart's for a carton (still a half-gallon!) of Philly Vanilla.  When I arrived home, I walked into Katie's house with the ice cream, and also my camera to snag a photo of the beautiful concoction for my blog.  Curiously, something was missing - one whole serving, to be specific.  Katie and Sydney thought it best to sample the irresistible cobbler, and my photo is evidence!

Here are a few photos of our peach-centric day, followed by Katie's recipe for peach cobbler, adapted from her favorite resource, America's Test Kitchen...

Who knew? Fresh peaches in Middle Grove, NY!

Peach juice running down my chin!

Outta the oven...wait, something's missing!

With Stewart's Philly Vanilla - yum!

Pete loved his peach cobbler!

Peach Cobbler

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Servings: 8

ATK NOTE: If the fruit is very juicy, it may need a bit more cornstarch. Just add another 1/2 teaspoon. If using frozen fruit, double the quantity of cornstarch.

PEACHES:

2 pounds peaches — peeled, pitted, sliced
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar


BISCUITS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter — melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
TOPPING:

2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Prepare the fruit and place in a large bowl. Add the cornstarch and sugar, stir well. Pour into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Place it on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (curl up the foil edges in case of spillover).

3. Bake fruit for about 20-30 minutes until the fruit begins to release liquid.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda. salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla together. In a third bowl toss together the topping of sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

5. Remove the peaches from the oven. Then add the buttermilk and butter mixture to the dry mix. Stir just until all the loose flour is incorporated. Using a spoon, make about 8 small globs of biscuit mix. Flatten very slightly, then place them on top of the hot fruit.

6. Sprinkle the tops of the biscuits with the cinnamon-sugar mix, then place the pie plate back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.

7. Remove from sheet pan and cool. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

ATK Recipe found at:  http://tastingspoons.com/archives/3954