Individual Strawberry Peach Cobblers

I love all of the fresh produce that comes with the summer season, especially berries. They are extra plump, sweet, and juicy. Irresistible even. I made this recipe last summer just to take advantage of the season's produce. It is just delicious. Warm sweet strawberries and juicy peaches layered between flaky homemade crusts, and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream never hurt.

If you've never tried the combination of strawberries and peaches before- it is time! This recipe has confused some people just because it's mixing a berry and a stone fruit. Not just berries work well together- I also love the combination of nectarines and blueberries too! These mini cobblers really highlight the flavors of the summer season. I don't like to add too much sugar to an already good thing, like a summer berry or sweet peach. This cobbler recipe only calls for 1/4 cup of sugar, unlike other traditional cobbler recipes I've tried that have over 4 cups of added sugar. The fruit just doesn't need it. It's so delicious and perfectly sweetened- I promise.

This recipe is quite simple. It makes 4 individual servings and isn't very fussy. I've made delicious cobblers before that require extensive rolling of pastry and a long time in the oven- this is not one of them. Plus they look cute- little fruit filled ramekins topped with a button of crust.

Easy to make, hard to NOT look at, fun to share, and enjoyable to eat. Give these cuties a try before summer ends. 

Individual strawberry peach cobblers.

Inividual Strawberry Peach Cobblers
Serves 4

Fruit filling:
4 regular size peaches
1 package strawberries
1/4 c. sugar
1 T flour
1 t. pure vanilla extract
3T water

Crust:
1/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. all vegetable shortening
1 c. AP flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Prepare crusts by cutting the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender until lumpy. Add cold water and combine until dough is sticky. Turn dough out onto floured surface, form into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 15 minutes.
2. Roll dough out onto cold floured work surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Using your ramekin, punch out 8 circles. To punch out the "button holes" use a straw and discard extra dough.
3. Sprinkle the crusts with sugar and bake on a parchment line baking sheet for 10-15 minutes until very lightly golden.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F.
4. To prepare the fruit filling peel and slice peaches and heat in a Dutch oven over medium heat with sugar, flour, and water. Cook about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, hull and slice strawberries while the peaches soften. After 5 minutes or so, add the strawberries to the peaches and cook the fruit until all pieces are tender and the juice have become syrupy.
6. Remove Dutch oven from heat and stir in vanilla extract. It is important that this step be done after the fruit is removed from the heat in order to retain the fullness of the vanilla flavor.
7. Assemble the cobblers by layering a scoop of fruit in the bottom, topping with a crust, layering more fruit, and adding a final crust on the top. 
8. Bake cobblers for 15-20 minutes until crust is lightly browned. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream and enjoy.

These beautiful Sophie Conran ramekins were a wedding gift from my husband's great aunt and uncle from England. I love their simple design.