A Week of Strawberries - Part IV - Strawberry Dumpling

Strawberry Dumpling

The plan was to defrost some of my homemade frozen strawberries and make strawberry cupcakes with them. You see, my co-worker's birthday is coming up, and I had a plan. But we all know what happens when you make plans. I forgot there was a wedding on Sunday, and my co-worker would be out Monday because that's her actual birthday (and our employer is nice like that - we get our birthday off, with pay!)

So there won't be any strawberry cupcakes this weekend. But, you see, there were still thawed, sweetened strawberries in my fridge. I couldn't make coffee cake or muffins because I had no sour cream or buttermilk or fresh lemons. (I know, I know. And I call myself a food blogger!) Hmmm. A cobbler would be good - but strawberry cobbler? I don't see why not, but I've never actually eaten a strawberry cobbler. A quick scan of my recipe file and one dish jumps out: Strawberry Dumpling. Interesting method - a stovetop dessert - but wait, wait, wait. Isn't this more or less a ... cobbler?

Yes. Yes, I think it is. Almost. I missed the crunch on top that the oven brings to a true cobbler. But in a pinch? It worked. And Cash and I had a lovely, quick afternoon dessert following our sandwiches and grapes. Plus it was pretty. And we all like pretty, now don't we?

Strawberry Dumpling

Strawberry Dumpling
Adapted from Epicurious
Printer-friendly version

Ingredients
1 quart strawberries, capped and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
2/3 cup whole milk

Directions
1. In a saucepan, stir together strawberries and sugar let stand, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or two knives until butter is in pea-sized lumps. Stir in milk until just combined, then add to boiling berries and stir once or twice. Cover saucepan and lower heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until dumpling is dry on top, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove top, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

3. Epicurious suggests heavy cream as an accompaniment, but I say it screams for a big, ice-cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pick your poison.

About two years ago: Kentucky Bourbon Pie and Dorie Greenspan's Perfection Pound Cake