The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper


Vol. 16 No. 43 - August 24, 2016

FEATURE

What's in a name?

Anna Maria Island Sun News Story

SUBMITTED

Top blueberry peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream
for a satisfying treat.

Icing or frosting? Sprinkles or jimmies? This is a topic of constant debate at the bakery. I remember the puzzled look on a young boy's face as I described the variety of icings that we offer. He asked his mom, "What is icing?" She quietly and politely explained that icing is another word for frosting.

Florida is such a melting pot of people. I'm constantly reminded, as I talk with customers from other countries and regions, that often we're describing the same dessert, but using different terminology. Many dessert names are interchangeable and vary by region. Three desserts that come to mind are the cobbler, crumble and crisp.

There are similarities and, depending on where you grew up, subtle differences. All three dishes are made with sweet summer fruit. Peaches, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries work well because of the juice that they produce when baked. I love anything made with blackberries - not the large ones with seeds, but the smaller variety that grew in the woods behind the house where I grew up. Whatever your choice of fruit, summer is always the perfect time for simple desserts. So here's a little clarification on three simple, delicious treats.

A cobbler is a dessert that starts with a fruit filling that is poured into a baking dish. The crust can be made in a variety of ways – with dumplings, biscuits or batter. The batter crust, which is my favorite, is more prevalent in the Appalachian region. The end product gives you a pretty cobblestone appearance on top, hence the name cobbler.

A crumble also starts with a sweetened fruit filling. It is covered with a streusel topping made with flour, butter and sugar (brown, white or a combination or whichever grandma told you to use). The sweet concoction is then baked until bubbly.

A crisp is very similar to a crumble in that it starts with a flour, butter and sugar topping. But the addition of oats to the mixture gives it a nice crispy finish.

A variety of spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger may be added to any of the three desserts to enhance your choice of fruit. Take some time to enjoy the fruit of the season, and try all three of the variations. Use your favorite fruit or mix some of them together like the blueberry peach cobbler pictured.

Icing, frosting, cobbler, crumble, crisp – I guess in the end, it doesn't matter what you call it, as long as you can call it delicious.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Filling ingredients:

4 c. fresh peaches, peeled and sliced

1 c. fresh blueberries

¾ c. sugar

½ c. butter

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Crust ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 c. milk

Directions:

1. Prepare filling by placing the fruit in a bowl. Pour ¾ cup sugar over the fruit and gently stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour stirring occasionally.

2. Add ½ cup butter to a greased 9x13 pan. Put the pan into a 375º oven just long enough to melt the butter.

3. Whisk together the crust ingredients and pour over the melted butter. Do not stir.

4. Finish preparing your filling by adding the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon to the fruit. Stir until just combined.

5. Pour the fruit filling over the top of the butter/crust. Do not stir. The crust will rise over the fruit as it bakes.

6. Bake at 375º for 45-55 minutes until golden and bubbly.

7. Enjoy with a scoop of ice cream.


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