Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler

Dreaming of summer cobblers: Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler

by Amanda

The place where we vacation has tons of huckleberries, so I’m just so excited to try this dessert! Isn’t it beautiful?

Cobbler:

Time: 1 3/4 hours, plus at least 45 minutes to cool. One of our all-time favorite desserts, with just a hint of spices to pull out the complex, wine-rich flavor of the huckleberries—and also delicious made with blueberries.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar (if using blueberries, decrease to 1 cup plus 2 tbsp.), divided
1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 qts. (2 1/2 lbs.) fresh or frozen huckleberries* or blueberries
Buttery Pastry
1/2 tablespoon milk
1 cup crème fraîche

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a 12-in. ovenproof frying pan or a 9- by 13-in. baking dish, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar (1 cup if using blueberries), tapioca, cinnamon, and cardamom. Gently mix in lemon juice and berries. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for tapioca to soften slightly, 15 minutes (50 minutes for frozen berries; they’ll start to look wet). Spread berries level.
2. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out pastry to a 14-in. round or 10- by 14-in. rectangle, lifting up pastry and re-flouring underneath if needed to prevent sticking. Trim uneven edges with a knife. Slide a rimless baking sheet under pastry and ease it over berries. Fold edges of pastry under so they’re flush with pan or dish, pressing together any cracks. Flute pastry edges with a finger and thumb to seal.
3. Brush crust (but not fluted edges) with milk and sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. sugar. Cut about 6 vents in crust to release steam. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling through vents, 50 to 60 minutes; tent with foil if pastry starts to get too brown, and put a rimmed baking sheet underneath if the cobbler starts to bubble over.
4. Supporting cobbler underneath, carefully transfer to a rack and let cool at least 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool, with crème fraîche to spoon on top.
*Buy huckleberries from specialty produce markets or pick your own, from your garden if you grow them or from the wild. Huckleberries range from blue-purple to red and even white; they thrive in subalpine forests and meadows in many Western states. In the Cascades, respect posted areas reserved for the Yakama Indian Nation.

Buttery Pastry:

Time: 5 minutes
This recipe goes with Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler

Yield: Makes 1 cobbler crust; 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups flour
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into 1-in. pieces
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

Preparation

Put all ingredients in a food processor and whirl just until dough comes together and is evenly moistened. Gather into a ball, then shape into a flat disk.