Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler!

Out of all of the fruit cobblers, I think blackberry might be my favorite.  In our family, I am in the minority on this though so I don't get it very often.  Also, it's getting harder and harder to find good blackberries.  Those great big blackberries they sell in stores, that cost a fortune, are just not as good as the smaller wild blackberries that grow wild in Kentucky, but are becoming harder and harder to find.   

This cobbler was made with the good, wild blackberries.  My sweet uncle went out on his farm and picked two gallon buckets full.  I hope he didn't get eaten up by chiggers.  If any of you have ever been blackberry picking, you know what I am talking about.   Actually, he probably knew to wear long sleeves and long pants in the over 100 degree Kentucky weather to do his blackberry picking.

The few times I went to pick blackberries I wasn't that smart and paid the price.   We used to put clear fingernail polish on chigger bites?  I guess it smothered them.  Now they say tea tree oil works to get rid of them.  I haven't tried that one, because I avoid chiggers like the plague. 

I have had several requests for an old fashioned blackberry cobbler recipe, like mama or grandma used to make.  I don't know how different folks made their cobblers, but this is how my mama makes hers and it has always been delicious.  

 I think some think it's a hard thing to make, but it really isn't, especially with the ready made crusts sold in the refrigerator section of you grocery or you can make whatever pie crust you prefer to use.  

 Here is what you will need:

1 prepared pastry dough for a double crust pie

3 cups blackberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 cup half and half

3 Tbs. butter, melted

2 Tbs. sugar

Place the blackberries, sugar, and water in a pan on the stove and bring to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch and the half and half until smooth and pour into the blackberries,  bring back to a boil and then turn off heat.   The mixture should be just starting to tighten, but don't let it sit and boil or it will tighten too much.   It should be sort of soupy when place it in the cobbler. 

COOKING TIP:  Cobblers should have a lot of liquid to them before you start baking, because the two crusts will absorb and thicken that liquid.  If they do not have sufficient liquid, they will be too dry once you are finished baking them.  A dry cobbler is not a good cobbler. 

Roll 1/2 of the crust to place in the bottom of your baking dish.  A 2 quart baking dish works well.  Pour the filling into the crust.

 Roll the other 1/2 of the crust to a size a little bigger than the baking dish.  You can cut the crust in 1 inch strips and make a lattice top crust as shown here or place the entire crust over the top.  If you use the crust in one big piece, be sure to seal and trim the edges and cut some vents around the top so the steam can escape as the cobbler cooks.

 Brush the top of both crusts with melted butter and sprinkle with the 2 Tbs. of sugar.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Be sure to place the baking dish on a cookie sheet in case of a spill over and it makes it easier to move in and out of the oven. 

 This picture doesn't do the cobbler justice, it actually looked much better than this, but you are just going to scoop it up and put ice cream on it  anyway...lol.