Easy Peach Cobbler

I discovered last month that making "Easy Peach Cobbler" is in fact, rather easy.  Unfortunately I have some adult onset peach allergy so I can no longer partake in a beautiful fruit from my youth.  My dashing fiance however has a deep love for said fuzzy fruit.  So in a fit of young adoration (and seeing that the season for fresh peaches is rapidly disappearing), I found a well reviewed recipe and whipped up a batch of cobbler for my darling.



(Peach Cobbler is not that easy to photograph FYI)

The part that was not so easy however surrounded the peel.  A conversation with myself at the kitchen counter with peaches in hand and ingrediants at the ready:

Do I peel these peaches? It would be so easy if I don't have to, peeling might be kind of hard. Hmmm... the directions do not say.  The picture looks like their peeled.  Do people eat peels in dessert? No, or else the peel would take away from the overall texture. There is no peel in canned peaches. OK, no peel.

(Peeling process commenses with a small knife.)

Damn. These things are slippery!  And freaking hard to peel.  Let's try a peeler.

(Peeler totally not working.)

Scratch that.

(Back to the knife.  Large chunks of fruit also being removed as peach fumbles in the hands of increasingly frustrated, adoring wifey2B. Juice cascading down hands. Wifey2B tries to go faster in an awkward attempt to get the peeling done as quickly as possible, making the process worse.)

(Forever later.)

Done. There needs to be a better way than that!!!!

Ahhh, behold the "How to Peel a Peach" segment of current post.  Of course, it wasn't until "Easy Peach Cobbler" was in the oven that I sat down at the computer to look for better ways then the process above. (And if I couldn't find a better way, well then sorry future hubby, this was going to be my last foray into peach baking.)  A tutorial popped up right away.  So I went onto my second adventure into Easy Peach Cobbler this evening, used this method and it worked great!

How to Peel a Peach
-Boil a pot of water, enough to cover a peach when submerged.
-Scrub peaches clean of any dirt or chemicals.
-When pot of water begins to boil, turn off stove.
-Submerge peaches for 45 seconds, remove with slotted spoon.
-Keep an ice bath next to the stove and quickly transfer peaches from hot water into ice bath.
-Once cooled, remove peach and score it with knife.
-Peel will remove easily! (And you won't take chunks of the fruit off in the process!)
-If the peel does not remove easily just return to hot water and start process over.
-Works like a charm.

(This would be delicious warmed up with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Yum!)

Easy Peach Cobbler
from Southern Living

Yield: 10 serving
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
1. Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
3. Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
4. Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Southern Living, JUNE 1997