Six luscious peaches beckoned from the kitchen counter early one morning, on a day that threatened imminent rain. After a quick cup of coffee, we snapped leashes on Clementine and Churchill, the youngest of our wriggling golden retrievers, and headed out before the downpour started. Walking briskly, I contemplated what we might have for breakfast, peaches uppermost in my mind. Latte (check), yogurt? (too cold on such a gloomy day), oatmeal with sliced peaches on top? (somewhat more appealing, but kind of boring), cobbler? (hmmm…now you’re talking).

Arriving home, I fired up the latte machine while Glenn took Taylor, our elderly golden retriever, around the block for a stately morning stroll, a pace in keeping with Taylor’s gentle dignity. Pre-heating the oven, I quickly dipped the fragrant, ripe peaches into boiling water before plunging them into an ice bath, then peeled and sliced them. The cornbread topping took a scant few minutes to pull together; soon a skillet was in the oven, filled with two pounds of sliced peaches topped with a cornbread batter. We relaxed, sipping our lattes while the cobbler baked, contended dogs gently snoring on their beds.

We enjoyed the cobbler hot out of the oven on the first day and topped with yoghurt with a drizzle of ginger syrup on day two. A bit indulgent, perhaps, but no more than a cornmeal muffin, I reasoned. Besides, what’s wrong with a little indulgence once in a while?

Peach Cornbread Skillet Cobbler

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Print Recipe

Crumbly cornbread perches on a bed of tender, succulent baked peaches. This late summer comfort food eases the transition to the crisper, chillier days of approaching fall.

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: serves 8

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs ripe peaches, skin removed, in 1/2″ slices (about six large peaches)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 200 g or 1 1/2 c finely ground yellow cornmeal
• 120 g or 1 c unbleached all-purpose flour
• 75 g or 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten (at room temperature)
• 1 c buttermilk (at room temperature)
• 127 g or 4 oz unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350ºF or 325ºF Convection. Butter a 10″ cast iron skillet or deep-dish pie plate.

Prepare the cobbler

1. Bring a medium pot, half-filled with water, to a simmer. Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Dip one peach into the simmering water for 30 seconds before plunging into the ice bath,.Using a spoon, try to peel back the skin on the peach, If it comes away easily, the peaches are ripe enough to use this method, in which case, continue with the remainder of the peaches. If the peaches are not ripe enough, then peel them with a paring knife.
2. Slice the peeled peaches into a large glass bowl. Add the lemon juice and cornstarch, tossing gently to combine.
3. Transfer the peaches to the skillet or pie plate.

Make the topping batter

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the egg and buttermilk with a silicone spatula until just combined. Fold in the melted butter a little bit at a time until just combined. 
2. Spread the batter over the prepared peaches and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cornbread comes out clean (50 minutes to an hour).

• Author: Helen Kain
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes to 1 hour
• Category: Breakfast, Dessert
• Method: Baking

I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.