A cobbler is much like a deep-dish pie made with a rich biscuit dough and fruit. While neither tidy nor shapely, it is indisputably tasty. Although almost any type of fruit or combination of fruits may be used, berries are traditional. Frozen berries can be substituted when fresh ones are out of season; use them directly from the freezer without thawing, and increase the baking time as needed to cook the dough through.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Have ready an unbuttered cast-iron, enameled cast-iron, earthenware, or glass baking dish of about 2-quart capacity and 2 inches deep.
Prepare in any combination:
Combine the fruit in a large bowl and toss with:
Spread the fruit mixture evenly in the baking dish. Prepare the dough for:
If using drop biscuit dough, simply drop spoonfuls of dough on the fruit. For other doughs, dust the dough with a little flour, then roll or pat it with your hands to the shape of the top of the baking dish and between ¼ and ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into rounds, squares, rectangles, or wedges and place the dough on the fruit. You may also gently roll pieces of the dough into balls, flatten each one slightly, and place them on the fruit. Lightly brush the dough with:
Sprinkle with:
Bake until the top is golden brown and the juices have thickened slightly, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.