Barefoot Contessa Fresh Peach Cobbler

If I had to pick a favorite cookbook, it would be my Barefoot Contessa cookbooks. I own all of them and they are what I turn to first when I’m looking for the yummiest recipes. Ina Garten’s recipes are easy to follow and turn out perfectly every time. I just love her! I made this recipe for my daughter-in-law’s birthday, and it became a fast favorite. Storing it here so my family can keep coming back to it. I know you’ll love it!

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds ripe peaches (8 to 10 large peaches)
¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon grated orange zest
⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

FOR THE TOPPING

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided 1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, ½-inch-diced
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream, such as Häagen-Dazs, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In batches, immerse the peaches for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, testing along the way, until the skins can be peeled off easily with a paring knife.

Transfer the peaches to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and peel. Large-dice a quarter of the peaches, set aside, and cut the remaining peaches into wedges into a large bowl.

In a medium saucepan. whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and butter and bring to a boil. Add only the diced peaches (not the wedges), bring back to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is thickened and translucent. Mix the cooked peaches with the peach wedges and pour into an 8½ × 11½ × 2-inch oval baking dish and set aside.

For the topping, put the flour, ¾ cup sugar, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse 15 to 20 times, until it is the size of peas. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla, and add to the food processor. Pulse just until the mixture is evenly moistened. Spoon dollops of the dough (l use a 1¾-inch ice cream scoop) onto the peaches (it won't cover them all. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle on top.

Put the dish on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering loosely with a large sheet of aluminum foil halfway through if the topping is getting too browned. Bake until the topping springs back in the middle when lightly touched. (Both the edge of the crust and the middle should spring back the same way.) Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes and serve warm with the ice cream.

MAKE AHEAD OPTION

Prepare the cobbler up to 2 hours before dinner, leave at room temperature, and reheat while you're serving dinner.