Apricot Blueberry Cobbler

This incredible cobbler is adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts. There are many different combinations of fruits that can be used for the filling. As long as the fruit is ripe and fresh it should be delicious. The topping to this cobbler is spectacular - it almost reminds me of a sweet biscuit or scone or the shortcake in a strawberry shortcake recipe. I would like to experiment with the topping recipe and try making some sort of scone with it.

Filling Ingredients
3 cups chopped apricots
2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 T flour

Toss apricots and blueberries with sugar and flour.

Topping Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
3/8 tsp salt
4 T sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
6 T butter
3/4 cup light cream

Mix flour, salt, sugar and baking powder together. Cut in butter and mix until mixture is course and crumbly. Stir in cream and mix until just combined.

Pour filling into a 1 1/2 quart gratin or baking dish. Top with large spoonfuls of dough. Bake in over at 375 for 35 minutes until topping is brown and fruit juices bubble thickly around it. Serve warm.

Linda's Olive Oil and Sauternes Cake

I decided to try another recipe from my Chez Panisse Desserts cookbook. I settled on Linda's Olive Oil and Sauternes Cake. The cake turned out well, however, I felt like something was missing. It may be because I couldn't find any Sauternes wine and I substituted an inexpensive bottle of Muscat wine. We didn't have anything to serve it with, the original recipe recommends serving the cake with apricot cream or jam. I think it would also be good with a light layer of powdered sugar sprinkled over the top or a thin drizzle of icing. I'd love to try this recipe again with a good bottle of Sauternes wine. I'll update this post next time I make the recipe.

Ingredients
5 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 T mixed orange and lemon peel grated
1/3 cup plug 2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup good sauternes
1 cup sifted flour
1/3 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Directions
Butter and four an 8-inch springform pan.
Preheat oven to 350.

Separate the 5 eggs and beat the yolks with half the sugar until light colored and thick. Beat in the mixed grated peel. Beat in the olive and then the Sauternes. Mix the flour and salt and beat into the egg mixture until just mixed.
Beat the 7 egg whites with cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the remaining sugar until the egg whites hold stiff peaks. Fold into the egg yolk mixture thoroughly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300 and bake for another 20 minutes. Turn off the oven, cover the top of the cake with a round of buttered parchment paper and let site for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan.