Peach cobbler

Cobbler doesn’t really have a proper translation in Romanian, but it’s kind of like a tart without a base… or like a crumble – another thing that also doesn’t have a translation. We’re going in circles!

Although the “traditional” version is made with peaches, you can make cobbler with any fruit you like (usually ones that are a bit fleshier – like apricots, plums, etc.). It’s super easy to make, not too sweet, and the combination of soft, juicy fruit, slightly caramelized around the edges of the dish, and the crunchy crust on top is just amazing!

For a 21x21 cm dish:

• ~1 kg Fruit

• Brown sugar / Maple syrup

• 5–10 g Cornstarch

• ~10 g Lemon juice

No, nothing bad happened — but since this isn’t exactly a pastry shop-style recipe, it’s okay to go a bit “by eye,” especially with the fruit part. So cut the fruit however you like, add sugar or maple syrup and everything listed above (you can also add other things, like cinnamon…), mix it all up, and pop it in the oven at 175°C for 10 minutes.

For the crust:

• 150 g Flour

• 60 g Sugar

• 3 g Baking powder

• 1 g Baking soda

• 2 g Salt

• 70 g Butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the cold butter, cut into small cubes. Rub it in with your fingers until you get a crumbly, sandy dough.

• 75 g Kefir

Add the cold kefir and mix gently just until the dough comes together. Crumble it over the fruit in a thicker or thinner layer, brush with a bit of beaten egg, and sprinkle with brown sugar if you like, then bake at 175°C for 40–50 minutes.

You can eat it warm or cold — and I love to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!