Quail Run Ranch

Another Classic Recipe like Mother Might Have Made…

The name implies some kind of sadness don’t you think? Couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is this is a very happy and monumentally easy dessert. Something like mom or grandma might have made.

I got a bee in my bonnet when the Chez Panisse Blueberry Cobbler turned out so well that I researched other cobbler type desserts. I found Slumps, Grunts and Pandowdies. Don’t you love those names?

Today I made a Slump. I used canned apricots and cherries because neither one of these fruits is in season now. BY the way, both cherries and apricots are on the dirty list so find organic fruit if you’re into that.

I made a half recipe.

Whisk together

¾ cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur because cheap flour does not cut it. I know because I tried it and now I’ll never use it again)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Add and stir just until dry ingredient are moistened (FYI you’re making a dumpling type dough)

½ cup milk

¼ stick melted unsalted butter

On the side combine in a heavy bottom Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid ¼ cup sugar and ½ cup water.  Turn on the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. (I used canned fruit so I thought I might skip this step but when I tasted it to see what the sweetness level was, I decided that it wasn’t sweet enough, so I added the ¼ cup of sugar)

Add to the sugar syrup (If you’re using fresh fruit)

½ pound ripe pitted and quartered apricots

½ pound pitted Bing cherries

Cover and cook the fruit on slow boil for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and plop spoonfuls of dumpling dough on top of the fruit. Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes. The dumplings should look firm and feel dry to the touch when done. Serve with whipped cream (not Cool Whip ya’ll. Go to the trouble of whipping fresh cream.