The really awesome thing about my blog friends is like my community friends they share information that makes me think or want to do, like right away! And so was the case with this recipe – –
We had just picked up these amazing blackberries at our farmers market in town and I was thinking about a special Sunday dessert when this awesome post came across from Lottie + Doof [definitely worth a check out @ http://www.lottieanddoof.com] and thank you for the inspiration Tim!
A Sonker is like a cobbler with a biscuit topping – loved learning a new baking word! This recipe was fun, easy to make and rewarding both with all pieces coming together to highlight the flavor of the dark sweet blackberries and that there are three pieces (this is many) which came together so quickly to make this wonderfully rustic dessert. I had a berry shortage, too, but will definitely buy enough blackberries for a full recipe next time.
The recipe is from a new book by Ashley English – A Year of Pies which was just added to my must have list! I happen to have a couple of her other books – one about bees and one about canning, both from her Homemade Living series which are interesting, informative and approachable as well as sweet to look at. If I were closer to having a chicken or two I would have this book as well ; )
Listen to some great music, bake and have fun in your kitchen!
Bakers notes: I use as many organic ingredients as I can. I did use arrowroot starch and for the topping used sour cream (this is what I had) with great results!
Blackberry Sonker with “Dip”(fromA Year of Pies by Ashley English)
Filling:
- 4 1/2 half-pints blackberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Dip:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter a 10-inch skillet or a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
Prepare the filling:
Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a medium-size bowl. Stir until the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the berries are well-coated. Cover bowl with a kitchen cloth and set aside for 15 minutes.
Prepare the biscuit topping:
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter cubes until the mixture is crumbly and the size of peas or smaller.
Create a well in the center of the mixture. Pour in the buttermilk, and using a large spoon, gently incorporate just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. The mixture will look quite wet at this point, but that’s fine.
Prepare the dip:
Heat the milk in a medium-seized saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil.
Whisk the sugar and starch in a small bowl to mix well, then add to the milk along with the vanilla extract, stirring until thoroughly blended and smooth.
Reduce the heat under the saucepan to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture is reduced by half.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a pourable container. Cover and set aside while the sonker bakes.
Assemble the sonker:
Place the blackberry mixture in the prepared skillet.
Using a large spoon,dollop the surface of the blackberries with the biscuit topping, aiming for mounds of about 3 tablespoons of batter. You needn’t be terribly specific on the biscuit amounts; as long as the surface is dotted with reasonably similar biscuit mounds, you’re in good shape.
Pour the melted butter over the biscuit topping and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking an additional 30 minutes.
Cool at least 30 minutes, then, just before serving, drizzle each portion with several tablespoons of dip.
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