Late Summer Peach Cobbler

I am a firm believer of living in the moment. Of enjoying where you are and what you’re doing RIGHT NOW. But that doesn’t mean I don’t worry think about the future. Because I do.  Ask anyone who knows me even remotely well, and they’ll tell you I’m only myself when I am worried or stressed or rushing.

 Remember these beauties?

We rush so much nowadays. Everyone’s always moving, only staying in one place long enough to finish a phone call or shoot off an email, to sip the last dregs of coffee before tossing aside the paper cup. Even I do it; running around campus all day trying to get a million things done before collapsing into my bed at the end of the night, only to think about everything that needs to be done tomorrow.

But I don’t want to rush right now, I want to savor this time and appreciate it. Only two days into classes, I am trying to hold onto the last bits of summer as long as I can. Like cool water from a sprinkler, I am trying to hold this time in my hands as it slowly seeps away.

That’s where this cobbler comes in. While everyone else on the blogosphere seems to be posting recipes filled with pumpkin and maple and fall-y goodness, I am going to delay that a little. Fall is my favorite season, but I am not going to force it. It’ll get here in due time. 

Instead, I want to soak up the remaining bits of warm weather, the same way the crust soaked up the peaches’ juice. I want to keep the taste of sweet, light fruit and smooth, crisp crust on my tongue just a little while longer. Before I am relegated to months of sweaters and boots (which I do adore), I want to take one last stroll in my flip flops and shorts.

 Care to join me?

Late Summer Peach Cobbler (adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

2 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

¼ cup brown sugar

¾ cup plus 1 TBSP flour, divided

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature

1 whole egg

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

To peel peaches: drop peaches into boiling water for 30 – 45 seconds. Remove and immediately dunk in a bowl of ice water for a few seconds. Either using paper towels or your fingers, peel off the skin. It should slip right off. 

To cut the peaches: Cut the peach in half, around the pit. Rotate 90 degrees and cut peach again, creating four equal sections. Repeat the process again, cutting the four pieces in half to create eight. Gently pull pieces away from the pit. Discard pit.

Add the peaches to a bowl along with the brown sugar and 1 TBSP of the flour.* Stir until the peaches are coated. Set aside. 

Using an electric mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (this took me about 2 minutes with a whisk). Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated and fluffy (this was about another minute or two). Stir in the flour, salt and baking powder.

Pour peaches into an (ungreased) 8x8 baking dish, spoon batter over top, spreading with back of spoon or fingertips if desired.

Bake in preheated oven 30-40 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Cover any leftovers with foil and reheat in low oven for 5-10 minutes.  

*I wanted to add a little cinnamon to the peaches to create a nice warmth that would compliment the brown sugar. But I totally blanked. Don't be me. Add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the peaches. You know you want to. 

 

Sorry for the less than impressive picture. I was chasing natural light and this windowsill was all that worked. Let's still be friends.