QUING Parties at the Palace with BLUEBERRY COBBLER

Note in my Inbox dated 7/11/12:  "I just finished (licking the pan) eating all of the blueberry cobbler you baked for us! I must tell you it made the best breakfast ever!"

I made this cobbler because I had way too many fresh blueberries in the fridge, and wanted to make a dessert that required little time and assembly. Sorry, Blueberry Pie, but I'm over you. This cobbler is simple to make, not too sweet, and a gorgeous showcase for summer berries. If not for strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blackberries, and watermelon, it could be the best summer dessert ever. Serve it warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the blueberries. Or, serve it for breakfast!

Summer, I love you. Gustare!

BLUEBERRY COBBLER 
(Source: Baking Illustrated 2004)

FILLING:

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch table salt
6 cups fresh blueberries (30 ounces), picked over
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice

BISCUIT TOPPING:

Important Note: Prepare the ingredients for the biscuit topping while the blueberries are baking, but do not stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just before the berries come out of the oven.

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
2 tablespoons cornmeal, stone-ground
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. FOR THE FILLING: Stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together in large bowl. Add berries and mix gently with rubber spatula until evenly coated; add lemon zest and juice. Mix to combine. Transfer berry mixture to 9-inch glass pie pan, deep-dish 9-inch pie pan, or an 8-inch-square baking dish. Place pie pan on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until filling is hot and bubbling around edges, about 25 minutes.

3. FOR THE BISCUIT TOPPING: Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine. Whisk melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla in small bowl. Mix remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in second small bowl and set aside. One minute before berries come out of the oven, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir with rubber spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain.

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE COBBLER: Remove berries from oven. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Pinch off 8 equal-sized pieces biscuit dough and place on hot berry filling, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart (they should not touch). Sprinkle each mound of dough with cinnamon-sugar. Bake until filling is bubbling and biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes.

Cool cobbler on wire rack 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

To reheat leftovers, put the cobbler in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through.