058 / 75 · A Small Sweet Finish
Peach and Ginger Skillet Cobbler
3 small cobbler portions · Active 20 min · Total 45 min
Print recipe · PDFPeaches simmer beneath soft ginger dumplings in a covered skillet, making an oven-free cobbler with a pale steamed top. The dumplings are not meant to brown. Keep the lid on for the first part of cooking so steam can set their centers before you check them.
A gentle fruit base
Fresh peaches should be ripe enough to soften during a short simmer. Cut them into even wedges and keep their juices. A little water prevents the sugar catching before the fruit releases liquid. If using canned peaches, choose those packed in juice, drain and reduce the added sugar. The fruit should simmer quietly under the dumplings, not boil violently around them.
Do not overwork the topping
Rub butter into flour and baking powder, then add milk just until a soft dough forms. Stirring hard makes the dumplings tougher. Drop six small mounds rather than spreading a solid lid of dough across the fruit; steam needs space to circulate. Leave the pan covered for the first fifteen minutes. After that, open carefully and test a central dumpling: it should be fluffy inside with no wet flour paste.
Know what a stovetop cobbler looks like
The topping remains cream-colored because there is no heat above it. A toothpick and a cut dumpling tell you more than color. If the bottom is catching while the dough remains raw, the heat is too high. Lower it and add a spoonful of water around the edge if needed. Serve promptly while the fruit is juicy and the dumplings soft.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe peaches, pitted and cut into wedges (450 g prepared weight)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (25 g), divided
- 1/3 cup water (80 ml)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger (5 g)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 2 tablespoons cold butter, cubed (28 g)
- 1/3 cup milk (80 ml)
Set out
10-inch deep skillet with tight lid, Mixing bowl, Fork
Allergens
Wheat, Milk. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Put peaches, 1 tablespoon sugar, water and ginger in the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 3–4 minutes.
- Mix flour, baking powder, salt and remaining sugar. Rub in butter, then stir in milk just until a soft dough forms.
- Drop 6 small mounds over the simmering peaches, leaving gaps. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Open carefully and check a central dumpling. Cover and cook 3–5 minutes more if needed, until fluffy and cooked through with no raw dough. Serve warm.
A close lid matters
A loose lid loses the steam that cooks the dumplings. Use a pan designed for the appliance and a fitting lid rather than an unstable improvised cover.
A useful detail
The topping is steamed and stays pale. Do not increase heat to try to brown it.
Another way
- Use nectarines instead of peaches.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger in the fruit if fresh is unavailable.
Keep it well
Refrigerate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 2 days. Reheat gently to 165°F/74°C, adding a little water around the fruit if dry.