Individual Raspberry Peach Cobblers

Summer means that there is an abundance of fresh fruit to choose from at the market, and that means that fruit desserts become mainstays on my dessert menus. There are times when my kitchen is bursting with fruit and I have enough to make multiple pies, but there are other times when I’m down to a single peach or a handful of berries. This recipe for Individual Raspberry Peach Cobblers can work no matter how much, or how little, fruit you have on hand, making it an ideal dessert for just about any occasion.

This particular cobbler was inspired by a single peach. I had picked up a big bunch of them at the market and snacked my way through a few of them while I made plans to bake with the rest. Before I knew it, I was down to only one peach! Instead of running back to the market, however, I adapted one of my recipes to a scaled-down version that didn’t require pounds of fruit! This is a small batch recipe that makes just two servings using 8-oz ramekins, though it will generously fill those ramekins all the way to the top. If you want to make more for a crowd – because this does make a wonderful and easy-to-serve dessert for a party – you can simply double or triple the recipe.

I love the combination of peaches and raspberries, as both fruits have floral notes and the strong sweetness of the peaches works well with the slightly more tart flavor of the raspberries. I prefer to use white peaches when I can get them, though any ripe peach will work well in this recipe. The topping is buttery, with a hint of oatmeal nuttiness and just enough sweetness to compliment the fresh fruit. If you fruit is a bit unripe or simply is a bit more tart than you would like, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to the filling. The cobblers can be prepared a day in advance but really are at their best when they are fresh. Serve them on their own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Individual Raspberry Peach Cobblers
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp oatmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp buttermilk
1 large peach, peeled
2/3 cup raspberries
1 tbsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350F. Take out two 8-oz ramekins.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, oatmeal, baking powder and salt. Using a fork, cut in the butter until mixture appears dry and sandy, with no clumps of butter larger than a small pea remaining. Add in buttermilk and stir until the dough comes together.
Cut the peach into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, toss together raspberries, peach pieces and cornstarch. Divide fruit mixture into two ramekins. Divide topping evenly between the ramekins, covering the top of the fruit completely (or almost completely).
Bake for 45 minutes, until golden and set. The filling will bubble and may seep out around the edges of the ramekins, so you may want to place a sheet of aluminum foil on your oven rack.
Serve warm.

Serves 2.