Cook's Illustrated

Lighter Fruit Cobblers

Fruit cobblers are both irresistible and simple to make—could we design a refined version that would allow us to enjoy them even more often?

The Problem

Traditional cobbler recipes could use some refinement—they're often characterized by excess amount of sugar and high amounts of fat in the biscuit topping.

The Goal

We wanted crisp, well-browned, evenly cooked (low-fat) biscuits coupled with a calorie-trimed fruit filling.

The Solution

While most fruits do benefit from the addition of a small amount of sugar, we found we could reduce the traditional amount to 1/4 to 1/2 cup (depending on the type and ripeness of the fruit). To thicken the filling, we rejected both flour, as it gave the fruit filling an unappealing starchy texture, as well as ground tapioca which thickened the fruit too much. To achieve a natural, thin, silky syrup, we found that cornstarch, arrowroot, and potato starch all worked equally well at thickening the fruit juices. For the topping, we liked drop rather than rolled biscuits—both because they were simple to prepare and we could use significantly less butter to achieve tender, flavorful results.

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