The mornings are starting to have that crisp feel here in the high desert of California. Our home is in the foothills on the dry side of the San Gabriel Mountains. The beauty of living where we do is the cool, ocean breeze that finds its way up and over the mountain, making our temperatures more moderate than the more deserty land just below us. When these cooler days show up, I begin to think of things to bake. It gives the season a cozy presence of warmth and good smells.

One of my most favorite cobblers is blackberry. Yes, most people would consider this a summer dessert. Me, too, but now the supermarkets have them almost any time of year so we can indulge any time we please. When I made this recipe, I used a combination of blackberry, strawberry, and blueberry. Strawberries are usually cheaper than the others, so I use them to make up about half the berry amount. Blackberries are so rich in flavor they tend to take over, but I like it that way. Whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be delicious. And don’t forget the ice cream. loc

Berry-licious Chocolate Chip Cobbler

8-12 servings

Ingredients

Filling

• 10 cups fresh berries, any kind you prefer. A bag of frozen berries works well, too.
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Biscuits

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ salt
• ¼ cup sugar + 1 additional tablespoon for sprinkling
• ½ cup cold butter, cut into slices
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Mix all filling ingredients in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
3. While the filling is baking, combine the milk and vinegar in measuring cup and set aside to curdle.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add butter by the slice, cutting it into the flour mixture with your fingertips or pastry cutter, until large crumbs form.
6. Add milk mixture and gently stir a few times to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Remove berry mixture from oven. Discard foil. Top berries with ping pong ball-sized scoops of biscuit dough. Sprinkle top with the tablespoon of sugar.
8. Bake for an additional 20 minutes. Fruit will be bubbly and biscuit tops browned.
9. Remove cobbler from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
10. Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

If baking is any labor at all, it’s a labor of love. A love that gets passed from generation to generation. 

Regina Brett