Blueberry Nectarine Skillet Cobbler with Coconut Streusel

You can never make fruit cobbler too often during the spring and summer, when wonderful fruits of all shapes and sizes are in season. I’ll make cobblers with any kind of fruit that I have in my kitchen. The problem with fruit cobblers during the summer is that you have to turn your oven on and leave it on for a while while the fruits and topping cook – and there are definitely days when you don’t want to heat up your kitchen any more than absolutely necessary. On those days, I opt for a stove top cobbler, rather than an oven-baked one. This Blueberry & Nectarine Skillet Cobbler with Coconut Streusel is prepared entirely in a skillet and will be ready to serve in just a few minutes – no oven necessary.

The cobbler starts with the streusel topping. This topping is put together much like any other streusel topping, where flour, oatmeal, shredded coconut and sugar are combined with melted butter. After the topping is mixed up, it is transferred to a skillet and cooked until golden brown. The clusters of this type of streusel won’t be quite as large as they can be with baked streusels, but a smaller cluster size does not mean there is any less flavor there. The topping is set aside, then the fruit mixture – blueberries and nectarines, in this case – are cooked in the same skillet until their juices have thickened and the fruit is tender. After the fruit is cooked, you can portion it into serving dishes and divide the topping over the top.

The oatmeal and coconut in the topping are downright addictive, and you’ll find yourself sneaking handfuls of the topping while you wait for the fruit to cook. The combination of blueberries and nectarines is always a favorite of mine, however other stone fruits, such as peaches or apricots, would also work in this recipe. If you are using a stone fruit with a fuzzy skin, be sure to peel it before using. Nectarines have such a thin skin that they do not need to be peeled before going into the filling.

If you aren’t planning to serve this dish right away, store the filling in the refrigerator and store the topping in a ziploc bag or tupperware container after it has completely cooled. The topping can also be stored, once it has cooled completely, in an airtight container for a couple of days. You can combine the filling and topping just before serving, and both keep for 2-3 days after preparation. Leftover topping can be added to ice cream, yogurt and other dishes, as well.

Blueberry & Nectarine Skillet Cobbler with Coconut Streusel
Streusel
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or butter, melted)

Filling
3 large nectarines
3 cups blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, coconut, brown sugar and salt. Pour in melted coconut oil and stir with a fork until mixture resembles wet sand.
Preheat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add streusel mixture to skillet and cook, stirring regularly, until golden brown – about 5-8 minutes. Mixture will brown rapidly towards the end of the cooking time, so stir more frequently and remove from heat immediately to prevent it from burning if it turns dark brown. Transfer mixture to a tray to cool.

Slice nectarines into 8-10 wedges. It is not necessary to peel them.
In a large bowl, combine blueberries, nectarines, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla, then fold with a spatula to combine.
Using the same skillet you used for the streusel, cook berry mixture over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the berries release their juices and mixture begins to thicken, 7-10 minutes.
Divide berries into individual serving bowls and generously top with streusel. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Serves 4-6