Learn how to make huckleberry cobbler, a dessert with a huckleberry base and a biscuit topping.
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What Is a Huckleberry Cobbler?
Huckleberry cobbler is a freeform dessert with a huckleberry base and biscuit topping. The name “cobbler” comes from the shape of the batter or biscuit dough dropped in dollops on the fruit—the dough puffs up to look like cobblestone streets. This old-fashioned fruit dessert dates back to the nineteenth century. Huckleberry cobbler is not to be confused with huckleberry crisp, a similar fruit dessert recipe featuring a streusel, rather than biscuit, topping.
What Is a Huckleberry?
Huckleberry is a North American shrub related to the cranberry and the blueberry. Unlike cranberries and blueberries, huckleberries can take up to 15 years to mature, so they are not commercially viable. However, hardiness zones in places like Idaho and Montana can grow wild huckleberries every summer. One of the best ways to eat this tart berry is in a sweet cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
3 Tips for Making Huckleberry Cobbler
Making a huckleberry cobbler is similar to making other cobblers, like blueberry cobbler, peach cobbler, rhubarb cobbler, or blackberry cobbler. Follow these tips to ease the baking process:
- 1. Use frozen fruit. If you can't get your hands on fresh huckleberries, you can use an equal amount of frozen huckleberries—no need to thaw.
- 2. Adjust the sugar. Berries range in sweetness, so it's important to taste them before adding the sugar. For berries that already taste sweet, use less sugar—as little as a quarter cup. For berries that taste very tart, use more sugar—as much as three quarters of a cup.
- 3. Mix and match. If you have a variety of different types of fruit, mix them all together in a cobbler. Huckleberries pair especially well with sweet peaches, wild blueberries, and apples.
Sweet Huckleberry Cobbler Recipe
makes
One 9x13-inch baking dishprep time
10 mintotal time
55 mincook time
45 minIngredients
For the filling:
For the topping:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Combine the huckleberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
- 3
Stir to incorporate, and set the berry mixture aside.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- 5
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- 6
Add the cubed butter, and work it into the flour mixture with your hands until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- 7
Whisk a ½ cup of buttermilk, egg, and vanilla together in a glass measuring cup or small bowl; add it to the flour and butter mixture and stir together with your hands or a rubber spatula, just until combined.
- 8
Transfer the berry mixture to a large baking dish.
- 9
Use your hands to tear off a ½ cup of pieces of dough, and place it over the surface.
- 10
Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoons of buttermilk, and then sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
- 11
Bake until the tops are golden brown and juices are thick and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- 12
Remove the pan from the oven.
- 13
Let the cobbler cool slightly before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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