Grandmother’s Blackberry Cobbler

Uncle Sherman and Aunt Lo, who can both come close to re-creating
this dessert—my grandmother’s prized blackberry cobbler—say the
secret to perfection is in the crust. The sugar sprinkled on top gives
this one a lovely look. An 8-cup casserole or 8-inch Pyrex baking dish
works well here. This deep-dish, wrap-around rolled crust method
is something like an old-fashioned pandowdy that was popular in the
1800s, where you dowsed the crust into the fruit mixture and baked it in
a skillet. I was an adult before I perfected this cobbler; getting the ratio
of fruit, juice, and crust in each bite is important. This cobbler screams
July in Kentucky to me, even if it’s the dead of winter and you are
anywhere in the world.

Serves 6

For the fruit

1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
16 to 18 ounces fresh blackberries
(3 generous cups), preferably wild if you can find them
For the crust
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon table salt
⅔ cup cold vegetable shortening
½ cup ice water, or as needed
1 tablespoon sugar, for sprinkling

Make the fruit:

Combine the sugar, 1 cup water, the butter, and
blackberries in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring only after the berries begin to soften,
the butter has melted, and the liquid in the pan turns deep purple. Do
not overcook. Remove from the heat and let cool while you make
the crust.

make the crust: Combine the flour and salt in a chilled glass, ceramic,
or metal mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to work in the
shortening, blending until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.
Again, do not overwork it.

Add half of the ice water, stirring to form a dough that begins to gather,
then continue to add a little more ice water at a time—just enough for
the dough to hold together. You may not use all the water.

Lightly flour a rolling pin and your work surface. Turn out the
dough and roll it out evenly to a size much larger than your cobbler/
casserole pan. Lay the dough in the pan so there is a generous amount
of overhang on all sides (1 to 2 inches or so). Use the tines of a fork to
dock the bottom of the dough in several places.

When you’re ready to assemble the cobbler, place a rack in the middle
position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spoon the cooled, softened fruit and some of its liquid into the doughlined
pan. The berries should not be “swimming.” Discard or reserve
the remaining liquid to cook down for an accompanying syrup;
see Note.

Pull the overhanging dough up toward the center on all sides to cover
most of the fruit. Sprinkle the top with the sugar. Bake on the middle
rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and any
exposed fruit is bubbling. Spoon into bowls and serve warm or at room
temperature.

note: While the cobbler is baking, you may cook down the extra
berry liquid to create a syrupy sauce you can serve with the cobbler
or with ice cream, or use it to flavor drinks. Simply pour the leftover
cooking juices in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until thick
enough to coat a spoon, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.