Berry Corn Cobbler

Summer in a cast iron skillet — ripe blackberries, sweet corn straight off the cob, and the most tender, golden biscuit topping.

I serve this up with a generous dollop of vegan whipped cream! The 365 Oat-based Whipped Topping works perfectly!

Prep: 20 min · Bake: 30–40 min · Serves: 4-6 · Vegan-Friendly

There is a particular magic that happens every summer when the blackberries are heavy on the vine and the corn is so fresh and sweet it barely needs cooking. My Saturday morning visits to Shirley's Farmers Market at Tamarack Junction Casino in south Reno aren't optional. There, I can get the most incredible corn at the Dwelley Family Farms kiosk! And, the berries? Right across the aisle! This cobbler is my answer to both — a celebration of the season that comes together in one skillet, no fuss, no pretense, and absolutely no regrets.

The secret — and it isn't much of a secret, really — is the corn. Not just the kernels, but every last drop of milky, fragrant juice you can coax from the cob with the back of a knife. That liquid goes straight into the batter, where it mingles with a little cornmeal and a touch of heavy cream (or its vegan counterpart — I've made this both ways and I promise you cannot tell the difference). The result is a topping that's somewhere between a biscuit and a corn cake: crumbly at the edges, tender in the middle, and faintly golden all over.

"A cobbler should look like it was made with love and absolutely no ruler. Rustic is the whole point."

Don't stress about the berries. Ripe blackberries are the star, but a handful of blueberries thrown in adds a lovely 'jamminess' and keeps things interesting. Lightly mash them — not to a paste, just enough to release some juice — then

season them with lemon, a pinch of salt, and just enough sugar to coax out their best qualities without drowning them. Taste as you go. Every berry has a different personality depending on the day.

Dollop the batter over the fruit in rustic, uneven spoonfuls ... hey even handfuls. It does not need to be perfect. It should not be perfect. The craggy peaks that poke through the bubbling berries are the best parts, and they will turn a deep, crackled gold in the oven. Brush them lightly with cream, and if you like a little sparkle and sweetness, a scattering of granulated sugar on top does not hurt anything at all.

Serve warm, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, a pour of cold heavy cream, or whipped topping. This cobbler is summer, and summer does not last forever — so make it while the corn is sweet and the berries are perfect.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb ripe blackberries (or a mix of blackberries & blueberries), lightly mashed. Don't go crazy. Leave a few almost whole berries.

• ½ cup + 2 tsp granulated sugar, divided — plus an optional 1 tbsp for the topping

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Kosher salt (two pinches, divided)

• 1 ear fresh sweet corn — kernels cut off, juice scraped from the cob

• 1 tbsp heavy cream, plus a little more for brushing (Country Crock vegan heavy cream works beautifully)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tbsp + 2 tsp finely ground yellow cornmeal (I like Bob's Red Mill)

• ¾ tsp baking powder (scant)

• 2 tbsp very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (Earth Balance vegan butter works great)

  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet or an 8-inch baking dish.

2. Toss the mashed berries with 2 tsp sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust sweetness and acidity to suit your berries. Set aside.

3. Cut corn kernels from the cob into a bowl. Scrape the bare cob with the back of the knife to extract all the juice into the same bowl. Stir in the heavy cream.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ cup sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. Add the cold butter pieces and toss to coat. Work the butter in with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Gently fold in the corn mixture — don't overwork it. You want a lumpy batter that sorta holds together.

5. Pour the berry mixture into the prepared skillet. Drop spoonfuls - or handfuls - of batter evenly (but imperfectly!) over the top. Leave gaps — the berries should peek through.

6. Lightly brush the batter peaks with heavy cream. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp sugar if you like things a little sweeter.

7. Set the skillet on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Bake 30–40 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the fruit is bubbling enthusiastically.

8. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving — this gives the berry juices a chance to settle and thicken slightly. Serve warm, straight from the skillet.

Cook's Note: The corn is the surprise ingredient that makes this cobbler memorable. Don't skip scraping the cob — that milky juice goes into the batter and adds a subtle sweetness unlike anything else. Earth Balance vegan butter and Country Crock plant-based heavy cream work really well.