Fruit cobbler recipes can include just about any fruit, but the pitted varieties, such as plum, apricot and peach, seem to be the most popular. Blackberry cobbler and apple cobbler pull in a tight second and third, however, and, though just about any fruit can be used, with the exception of citrus fruits, some fruits are just better than others when it comes to fruit cobblers. For instance, citrus fruits have too much water content and therefore do not bake correctly in this type of dessert.
Choosing the Fruit: When making cobbler with any fruit, try to use only fruit that is in its prime. Since most cooks will undoubtedly ignore this warning and still use fruit that's been on hand a little too long, or fruit that is going bad, it's wise to add an extra teaspoon or tablespoon of flour to the fruit mix to make sure the fruit juices set. If wouldn't hurt to add a tablespoon of tapioca, vanilla or lemon pudding to the mix, either.
The Cobbler Base: Most cobblers get their base from a recipe for sweet biscuits. Baking powder is used in the cobbler crust, which can be placed first in the pan, and also dropped by spoonfuls onto the fruit. The dough rises up between the pieces of fruit to make the cobbled look of this dessert. (It is said fruit cobblers were named due to the similarity between the visual appeal of the baked dessert and the cobbled streets.)
Favorite Combinations: When combining fruits, many cooks prefer to mix the following fruits together: two or three different types of berries, apples with peaches, apricots with pears, red cherries with dark cherries, and apple with pear or plum with peach. Mix and match until you come up with the combination you prefer.
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