Remember the Sesame Street game "One of these things is not like the other?" In the Williams-Sonoma corporate office, Tre Balchowsky was the one who didn't fit the mold. Her shocking pink hair was like a lighthouse in a sea of designer clothes, manicures and meticulously coiffed hair. I instantly knew this was someone I was going to like...a lot!
Since that first day, Tre and I have become friends and we've shared work challenges, career changes and, of course, recipes.
Not long ago she sent me her recipe for cobbler. Now I know Tre likes her cocktails but the amount of booze in this is insane! There is almost a full cup of spiced rum in here. Honestly, I thought the spiced rum was going to overpower the fruit, but it didn't. The flavor of the rum came through but the alcohol didn't. It is a nice balance of flavors and is something I know I'd make again and again, trying different combinations of fruits.
"I love berries. I grew up eating them off the vines in our backyard, the creek down the road, and pretty much anywhere I could get them. So many berry pies cover up the flavor of my childhood with a mountain of sugar. I wanted a cobbler that was maintained the tartness of the berries from my childhood and added my favorite flavor of adulthood, spiced rum… because really, why bake if there’s not booze? - Tre Balchowsky"
Crumb Topping:
3/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup uncooked oats
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons rum
Filling:
3/4 cup spiced rum
1 tsp instant tapioca granules
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
24 oz mixed fresh or frozen fruit and berries
(for this version I used 12 oz frozen peach slices & 12 oz frozen raspberries)
Preheat oven to 375˚F.
Mix all the dry ingredients for the topping. Stir in margarine until completely incorporated and no dry ingredients remain. Add two tablespoons of rum; gently stir until completely incorporated and coarse crumbles have formed; set aside.
Place 3/4 cup rum, tapioca and spices in a large frying pan and place over medium heat; bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixtures begins to thicken and liquid has reduced by half.
If using fresh berries: remove pan from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Add berries and gently fold to coat with sauce.
If using frozen berries: reduce heat to low and add berries, gently stirring to combine. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until berries thaw slightly.
Pour berry mixture into a 9-inch glass pie plate; sprinkle reserved topping evenly over berries.
Bake at 375˚F for 20 to 25 minutes or until topping is golden brown and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Photo of Tre taken by Steve Dutcher
Comments