Author's Notes: From Edna Lewis's The Taste of Country Cooking, this blackberry cobbler has a buttery pastry crust draped over tart, bubbling fruit. It's perfect served with vanilla ice cream.

Edna Lewis's Blackberry Cobbler Print Recipe

Serves 6 • Ready in 1hr

Ingredients:

Pastry:
  • 2 Cups Sifted Unbleached Flour
  • ½ Tsp. Salt
  • ½ Cup Lard (or butter), very cold
  • 1/3 Cup Cold Water
  • 1 Cup Crushed Sugar Cubes
  • ¼ Cup Light Cream
Filling:
  • 5 Cups Blackberries
  • 4 Thin Slices Butter
  • ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tsp. Cornstarch
  • 8 x 8 x 2 baking pan

Preparation:

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Blend in the lard (butter) with a pastry blender or with your fingers. When it is well blended and fine-grained, sprinkle all the water in at once and draw the dough together quickly, shaping it into a ball. Divide in half and let stand for a few minutes.
  2. After it has rested, roll out one piece and line the baking pan. Sprinkle 2 or 3 tbs. of the crushed sugar over dough, cover with wax paper and set it into the refrigerator (or freezer) until you are ready to fill it, along with the other piece of dough. When you are ready to assemble the cobbler, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out the top crust.
  3. Remove the pastry-lined pan from the refrigerator and fill it with berries, distributing the pieces of butter and sprinkling over the ¾ cup of granulated sugar mixed with the cornstarch. Wet the rim of the dough in the pan and place the top pastry over, pressing down all around to seal and trimming away excess. With the handle of a dinner knife, make a decorative edge and then cut a few slits in the center to allow steam to escape.
  4. Brush the top with a thick brush of cream and sprinkle on the remaining crushed cube sugar. Place in a preheated 450 oven and when the door is shut, turn down to 425 to bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool a bit before serving.