Cast Iron Blackberry Cobbler

I've got this great cast iron pan that a dear friend gave me a while ago. I'm always trying to find ways to use it more often. Once its seasoned right, it makes for an awesome cooking tool. 

Here's a recipe I used for making Blackberry Cobbler with the skillet. 

A WORD OF WARNING: when baking this thing, be sure to put the skillet on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil before putting it in the oven. This cobbler can (and most likely WILL) overflow the top of the skillet, spilling over in a sticky, third-degree-burn-inducing mess. The pan catches that blackberry lava and makes cleanup MUCH easier.


Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400º
In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water just until mixture is evenly moist. (you could also use milk here)

In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. 

Mix in remaining sugar, lemon juice, and blackberries. Mix carefully so you don't break up the berries too badly. The longer it sits, the more juice will be produced. This is known as maceration. The sugar and is literally breaking apart the connective tissues in the berries and releasing the juice. This makes the berries sweeter and softer. 

Transfer to a cast iron skillet, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. 

Keep an eye on your mixture as it boils.
You dont need to boil it too long, just enough to get everything mixed together.

Drop the dough into the skillet by the spoonful. Sprinkle lightly with the cinnamon. 

Place the skillet on the foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.

You are going to want to dive in right away but I would STRONGLY recommend letting the cobbler cool a little before digging in. The roof of your mouth will appreciate it. 

ENJOY!