UPSIDE DOWN CHERRY COBBLER

I have been spending the beginning few days of 2010 thinking what I'd like to do more of for the next 12 months of the Gregorian calendar. 

Fireworks went off at precisely midnight not far from where we live. But nothing stirred at home except that we were all up and about. As always. 

We're candle burners. All ...1..2..3...4...5...6 of us. We simply carried on with what we always do. 

Some of us having big exams to face..another working on a book, another working and studying part time and another getting ready for a new course in life. Most of life revolves around the dining table with off shoots to the various bedrooms in the house. 

Life goes on seamlessly it seems. Last years thoughts still being pondered upon, last year's mess is this year's mess, birthday celebrations being reminisced, a picture frame dropped in November awaits to be glued. Recipes bookmarked since 5 months ago need trying. 

And cherries.....yes cherries.... purchased in late December 2009 for a cake that never got made awaits, incredulously, to be used any old how in 2010.

A year is a year and it could be stretched no further.

And nothing like a boisterous mark for a new period of time to remind you that while life may carry on seamlessly as we reach back to grasp an old thing like old cherries to make a new thing like a new cake there are endless new tricks to learn and  revelations yet to dawn whilst we are at it. 

Finally too.....I'm done with this book that I've been reading since November last.

And true life protagonist Thomas Cromwell is so right when he says.....

" It's all very well planning what you will do in six months, what you will do in a year, but it's no good at all if you don't have a plan for tomorrow."

I'm glad I trudged through this book....Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.  

It sends a twang through my head and reminds me that the next year is meaningless if each tomorrow is wasted. 

I know what I'll do more of. 

I'll simply "Just do it". Everyday.

This is a very lovely concoction for my last year's cherries. Deliciously moist with a citrus-y edge, it had a texture that was a cross between a pud and a cake. And with a crown of cherries for make believe jewels.


If I had double the amount of cherries, which was what the recipe called for, these little cobbler pies would have looked ravishing.


The recipe..........from Sweet Baking.....


1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup castor sugar, plus additonal 1/2 cup
grated zest of 1 medium orange
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 T cold unsalted butter (I used 70 gm)
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups pitted sour cherries, or one 16 ounce bag of frozen cherries, thawed and drained (I used only 250 gm of cherries because that was all I had)

1 tsp ground numeg



Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter an 8x8x2 baking dish or 4 5 inch shallow pie dishes like I did.


In medium sized bowl of an electric mixer, at low speed, mix flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugarand orange zest.


Increase mixer to medium low. Beat in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.


In a 2 cup glass measure mix egg and milk and vanilla well. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the egg mix. Increase speed and beat batter until fluffy.


Spread batter in prepared pan or pie dishes. Scatter cherries over the top. Combine remaining sugar with the nutmeg and sprinkle over the cherries.


Bake. If in pan for about 40 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean when inserted. Or 20- 25 minutes in the pie dishes.


Serve warm or at room temperature.