Nectarine and Ginger Cream Biscuit Cobbler

The other day I received an email from a wonderful blog I subscribe too, Sticky, gooey, creamy, chewy ^[1].  Although used to make blueberry sliders in the featured post, the biscuits from the blog post work well as this cobbler’s topping.  The bits of chopped crystallized ginger in the biscuit dough compliment the tart sweet taste of ripe nectarines and it is irresistible.  I essentially doubled the measurements she gave in her recipe.

My sister-in-law asked me to make dessert for a dinner party she was having on Saturday night.  She wanted dessert to impress for 16 people!  I purchased a case of nectarines  and hid them in the dark in the back pantry so they would have a chance to ripen to juicy perfection before some kitchen grazer had a chance to eat them.  I made this nectarine cobbler, served with vanilla bean ice cream; Belgian brownies with chocolate truffle balls and raspberry coulis; and angel food cake with strawberry rhubarb compote and whipped cream.  The dessert table was very pretty with all the colors, seasonally appropriate, and everyone raved about the taste.

12 large ripe nectarines

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon Ceylon Extra Fancy cinnamon ^[2]

4 tablespoons corn starch

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

8 teaspoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 and ½ stick cold butter, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely minced

1 and ½ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400º.  Wash and dry the nectarines.  Slice them into ½ inch slices and discard the stones.  Combine nectarines with the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and lemon juice.  Add the fruit mix to a sauté pan and heat and stir until the juice begins to thicken for about 10 minutes.  Do not let the mix stick and be careful not to break up the fruit pieces when stirring.  Next, place the partially cooked fruit in a 2 inch deep 9 x 13 glass baking dish.  Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the dough. ^[3]

Mix all the dry ingredients exclusive of the ginger.  Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or your finger tips.  The pieces of butter should be the size of small peas.  Add the ginger and mix.

Take out 2 tablespoons of the heavy cream from the measured amount and set it aside.  Mix the rest of the cream into the flour with a fork.  When the dough comes together, use your hands to knead the dough a few times in the bowl.  Lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out onto it.  Roll the dough into a rectangle about ½ inches thick.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut rounds and remove them to the side of you work surface.  Then reroll the scraps and finish cutting rounds.  You will have 12 rounds total. ^[4]

Open the oven and place the 12 biscuit dough rounds on top of the nectarines. Using a pastry brush, brush a little of the reserved cream on top of each biscuit and return the baking dish to the oven.  Bake for another 12-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden and nectarines bubbling.  Remove from the oven.  Serve this cobbler still warm from the oven if you can. ^[5]