A couple of things can cause this. 1. If the topping completely covers the fruit, it will steam the fruit and the topping and both will be gummy. Leave space between each portion of topping so liquid can evaporate. 2. It’s possible that the topping is under baked— you can’t see the underside so how can you tell? You can check the temperature of the topping with an instant read thermometer— it should be about 200 degrees F.
Also, for cobblers, I’ve found that recipes where you put the batter in first and then add the fruit work really well and create a crunchy topping. Here are two that I use frequently that you might want to try: https://food52.com/recipes/22927-cuppa-cuppa-sticka-peach-and-blueberry-cobbler
drbabs, this is really interesting! I've never thought to invert like that, but I see that Cook's Illustrated's recommends the same technique. (In fact, it's quite similar to the Food52 recipe.). If doing this, I'd be sure to put the baking dish in the bottom 1/3 of the oven, to get that batter closer to the heat.
I'm not entirely convinced, however, that the smaller amount of fruit in the linked Food52 recipe would satisfy my crowd. Another technique - one which I've learned since moving up here to Colorado where I live to 5,000 ft - is to cook the fruit first, getting it piping hot before immediately putting the topping on it. This I learned from the brilliant Susan Purdy, in her excellent baking book, "Pie in the Sky" (all recipes tested with modifications in ingredients, pan placement, temperature, cooking times, etc., for baking at sea level, and 3, 5,7 and 10 thousand feet). Purdy recommends cooking the fruit in a Dutch oven on the stove and then putting the topping on when it's really hot and baking it in the bottom third of the oven.
I'm may try the Food52 recipe you linked, but add a bit more fruit and reserve some of the batter to dollop on the top. We really like the baked top - probably because I also sprinkle chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar on it, so it's kind of snickerdoodle-ish. (I wanted to test fully a snickerdoodle cookie-ish biscuit topped cobbler for the recent fruit contest but life - in the form of a ridiculous amount of spectacular hiking in the Rockies and bicycling in Boulder County -- got in the way . . . . ah, summer!). ;o)
Good point, AJ! I tend to add more fruit as well, and in the second recipe from Southern Living, the fruit is cooked before pouring it into the batter. I actually made a version of this with all berries where I rammed in lots of fruit (and didn’t cook it first). Here’s a picture.
3 Comments
1. If the topping completely covers the fruit, it will steam the fruit and the topping and both will be gummy. Leave space between each portion of topping so liquid can evaporate.
2. It’s possible that the topping is under baked— you can’t see the underside so how can you tell? You can check the temperature of the topping with an instant read thermometer— it should be about 200 degrees F.
Also, for cobblers, I’ve found that recipes where you put the batter in first and then add the fruit work really well and create a crunchy topping. Here are two that I use frequently that you might want to try:
https://food52.com/recipes/22927-cuppa-cuppa-sticka-peach-and-blueberry-cobbler
https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/fresh-peach-cobbler
I'm not entirely convinced, however, that the smaller amount of fruit in the linked Food52 recipe would satisfy my crowd. Another technique - one which I've learned since moving up here to Colorado where I live to 5,000 ft - is to cook the fruit first, getting it piping hot before immediately putting the topping on it. This I learned from the brilliant Susan Purdy, in her excellent baking book, "Pie in the Sky" (all recipes tested with modifications in ingredients, pan placement, temperature, cooking times, etc., for baking at sea level, and 3, 5,7 and 10 thousand feet). Purdy recommends cooking the fruit in a Dutch oven on the stove and then putting the topping on when it's really hot and baking it in the bottom third of the oven.
I'm may try the Food52 recipe you linked, but add a bit more fruit and reserve some of the batter to dollop on the top. We really like the baked top - probably because I also sprinkle chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar on it, so it's kind of snickerdoodle-ish. (I wanted to test fully a snickerdoodle cookie-ish biscuit topped cobbler for the recent fruit contest but life - in the form of a ridiculous amount of spectacular hiking in the Rockies and bicycling in Boulder County -- got in the way . . . . ah, summer!). ;o)