(The cherries & rhubarb before it all went so wrong...)
(It looks promising coming out of the oven, doesn't it? Don't be fooled!)
I love cherries. I love rhubarb. I love cobbler. So the odds were high that I would also love this week's entry for Tuesdays with Dorie, Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler, chosen by Amanda of Like Sprinkles on a Cupcake .
But...I have to say...no love here for this one. Not even any "like" for this one.
Where to start...whole wheat flour in cobbler topping? Not a winner. I think the depth of the flavor fights with the fruit. Ginger in both filling and topping? I am a big fan of ginger, but with these fruits, not so much. I would have preferred a touch of almond extract or vanilla bean perhaps. My cobbler was also hobbled (hah) by slight under-cooking. I was mortified to realize, when serving it up, that the underside of most of the topping was still a bit raw despite 45 minutes of baking and looking golden brown on top. Maybe I was fooled by the naturally darker color of the whole wheat dough? The fruit wasn't fully cooked either. Oy. You really shouldn't have to chew rhubarb, it should just melt in your mouth. Undercooked rhubarb is pretty under-yummy.
And as for the look...well, I'm not sure why 20 blobs on a 8x8 square is a good idea. I would have done fewer blobs of dough, or rolled it out for a nicer look. The thing just looks sort of homely, don't you think? I mean, I know cobbler is a home-y dessert but still...it's just kinda sad looking.
(My homely homey cobbler)
Regardless, my family members ate every scrap on their plates -- dad even went back for seconds and wanted to keep all of the leftovers.
I know there were a lot of TWD bloggers who were not familiar with rhubarb before this recipe. I hope this doesn't turn them off forever -- instead, they (and everyone else) should try Dorie's Double Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp which is fantastic.
So, not a great report card today for TWD. I give it a C-.
And p.s., kittydad usually photoshops my sub-par photos but I am late getting this posted before deadline - maybe we'll fix them later (or not).
Posts
6 comments:
I'm going to take your word for it on rhubarb and give it one more shot. I really felt like I was eating weeds from the front yard. I'm pleased to know this isn't the texture at which rhubarb is typically enjoyed. For $4.99/lb I should be singing its praises from the rooftops!
Sorry this recipe wasn't a winner for you, I wasn't that keen on mine either. Maybe next week :)
I read your cherry pitting advice on Julie's blog and I am so thankful for the information!! I am going to try that. This was my first time to bake with fresh cherries, and I LOVED them!!! Yours look great!!
I think I'm just too firmly on the "pie crust" style of cobbler top as opposed to the "biscuit" style. Everyone's pictures look great, but it just seems wrong to me.
I'm sorry this wasn't a winner for you, thought it sounds like your family enjoyed it? I love the idea of almond extract with the cherries and the rhubarb...yum!
I love your homely homey cobbler! Sorry it wasn't as good as you hoped. I think almond would be a great flavor with cherries. I may try the ginger flavoring with peaches.
Post a Comment