Mixed Berry Cobbler

This Mixed Berry Cobbler is so simple that in our church kitchen, we can make 6 full-size pans for 300 people in less than 2 hours, start to finish.  Whenever we have access fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, we freeze them to add to this cobbler, which adds just the right amount of sweet and tartness.    

Combination of  frozen mixed berries tossed with sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, and a splash of fresh lemon juice make the yummiest filling.  Cornmeal topping finishes this cobbler with a serious crunch, balancing the sweet-tartness of the cobbler. 

Vanilla ice cream recommended but not needed for this beautiful cobbler. 

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Mixed Berry Cobbler
Serves 8

Filling
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca
1/8 teaspoon table salt
6 cups frozen mixed berries (30 ounces)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Biscuit Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
2 tablespoons cornmeal , stone-ground
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. For the filling: Stir sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, and salt together in large bowl. Add frozen berries and mix gently with rubber spatula until evenly coated; add lemon zest and juice and mix to combine. Transfer berry mixture to 9-inch greased glass pie pan, place pie pan on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until filling is hot  about 15-20 minutes.

 3. For the biscuit topping: Whisk flour, cornmeal, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to combine. Whisk melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla in small bowl, set aside.  Minutes before berries come out of the oven, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir with rubber spatula until just combined and no dry pockets remain.

 4. To assemble and bake cobbler: Remove berries from oven.  Pinch off 8 equal-sized pieces biscuit dough and place on hot berry filling, spacing them equally. Sprinkle each mound of dough with extra sugar. Bake until filling is bubbling and biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool cobbler on wire rack 20 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Note: Multiplying the filling recipe  by 30 would be way too much.  Here is the modified recipe for large volume baking for this recipe.  

To Serve 275-300

For Filling:
In 6-full size disposable steam pans as shown, spray with oil spray, and equally divide the following frozen fruit

5 bags       48 oz Triple Berry Blend (15 lbs)
2 bags      5 lb Frozen Strawberries (10 lbs.)
2 bags       48 oz Frozen Blueberries (6 lbs)

then add the following to each pan and toss well with gloved hands:

1/2 cup       granulated sugar to each pan, extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup       corn starch, or tapioca
1/4 cup       lemon juice
2 Tablespoon Vanilla extract

For Biscuit Topping:
Multiply the biscuit  topping recipe x30

To save time, we measure out the ingredients ahead, wet & dry separately, and store until ready to bake.

Increase baking time: for filling 30 minutes, then with biscuit topping 35-45 minutes more until crust is golden brown.