It's Cobblerin' Time!

When I was in fifth grade, I joined my local Girl Scouts group. We did a lot of arts and crafts and cookie sales, but the one thing I explicitly remember about being a girl scout was the overnight camping trip. A night in the woods can be terrifying, as it’s darker than city life, and the unfamiliar sounds of nocturnal animals have you wondering whether or not you’re in a horror movie no one told you about. But a night in the woods can also be exciting, because it almost always means a good campfire and roasted marshmallows.

While marshmallows and weenies were placed on sticks, a girl scout’s dad did something a bit different. He made cherry cobbler on the grill. When it was ready, he placed a heaping spoonful of the dessert into drinking cups and passed it to everyone that wanted it. My brain had difficulty processing the concept of a smoked dessert. S’mores didn’t count. A burnt marshmallow was the only sort of marshmallow that existed in my mind. And although I wasn’t big on cherry desserts, the concept of cobbler on the grill remained deep in my subconscious until this month’s Gluten Free Ratio Rally.

Cobblers have an old history of being enjoyed in the United States. Some sources claim the cobbler’s origins in early British American colonies, and depending on what the people had on hand, the names changed. Thus, you have names like Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble, Brown Betty, Buckle, Grunt, Slump, Bird’s Nest Pudding, Sonker, and Pandowdy. It could be sweet or savory and served whenever the mood struck. The crust could resemble drop biscuits, pancake batter, or a piecrust. And the filling could be sweet or savory or a bit of both.

As I was thinking of what sort of cobbler to make, that memory of cherry cobbler around the campfire revealed itself. And what better way to make a summer cobbler than to do so on the grill? There is no exact science to the cooking process, other than to monitor the flame and watch for burnt filling along the edges. But at first bite, you feel like you are a wild man enjoying the sweeter side of wilderness. 

Cast Iron Fruit Cobbler on the Grill

For the filling:
46 small strawberries, halved
2 Rhubarb stalks, finely diced
52 cherries, pitted and halved
125 g Honey

For the crust:
75 g Brown rice flour
55 g Quick cooking CGF oats
25 g Corn flour
60 g Chilled salted butter, cut into small pieces
60 ml Whole milk
1/4 tsp. Baking soda

Preheat the grill (gas or charcoal) to moderate to high heat, and generously butter a 9-inch cast iron pan.
To make the filling, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and cherries in the prepared dish and drizzle the honey on top.
To make the crust, in a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
Scatter the butter on top and, using a stand mixer or doing so buy hand, cut the butter into the flour mixture until pea-size pieces form.
Gradually stir in the milk, mixing until the dough clings together.
Gather the dough into a ball and transfer to a cutting board lined with parchment paper.
With another piece of parchment paper, cover the dough and flatten it out into a 9-inch circle with a 1/4-inch thickness.
Lay the dough on top of the filling and drizzle additional honey on top of the crust. Place the cast iron pan on the grill, to bake for twenty minutes.*
When done, remove from the grill and let it cool slightly on the counter.
Serve warm or at room temperature, scooped from the pan, with yogurt or ice cream on top.

Makes 6 servings.

*You’re looking for filling bubbling along the sides of the pan and a golden brown crust. Depending on the heat, it may take fifteen minutes or twenty-five to thirty minutes. 

T.R. of No One Likes Crumbly Cookies was our amazing host this month.  We had a lovely selection of participants, so be sure to check out what other delicious recipes you can enjoy this summer! What am I saying... You can enjoy these delights all year long!

T.R.* | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies    Cherry Lime Cobbler   
Adina | Gluten Free Travelette    Date Night Berry Cobbler   
Morri (me!) | Meals with Morri    Cast Iron Fruit Cobbler on the Grill       
Heather | Discovering the Extraordinary    Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake   
Brooke | B & the boy!    Apple-Cranberry Cobbler