Plum and Ginger Cobbler

Autumn! The season of plums! I made this cobbler about a year ago in Barcelona but I didn't have the "advanced spices" there - cardamom and star anise. I used clove instead and it fit perfectly with the taste of plums, I decided to add it to the original recipe.

When I baked it on Saturday, I inadvertently bought plums that were a bit too ripe. When I cooked them in a pan, they actually dissolved into a purée so I'd recommend using plums that are not too soft. While the purée wasn't bad at all, cobblers should contain pieces of fruit. Anyway, purée or not, the cobbler was delicious and Especially when it was served still warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!


Also one last note: I was a bit confused as how to use the cardamom in the recipe. The pods are usually crushed to release the aroma but the recipe wants them eventually taken out. I don't know if the author tried taking out the whole cardamom pods from the sweet gooey substance but that seemed impossible to me. I crushed the pods in my beloved mortar and left the powder there along with crushed clove. However, don't crush the star anise, that one should be taken out :)

Plum and Ginger Cobbler
For the fruit base you will need:

• 1kg of ripe plums, sliced into eighths
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 150g raw sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 star anise petals
• 5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 5 cloves, finely crushed

For the biscuit topping you will need:

• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 85g butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
• Up to 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled buttermilk

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 215 degrees C. 
2. Toss plums and ginger with flour (to give it a thicker consistence in the end) in a large bowl until well combined. Dump into large non-stick skillet with sugar, salt, anise, and cardamom. Add about 50ml water and place over medium heat until simmering. Reduce heat to maintain slow simmer and cook until you can draw lines in the bottom of the pan with a spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove the star anise and discard it.
3. Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda in large bowl. Add the butter, rubbing it into the flour by squeezing into long, flat pieces between your fingertips and thumb. Then add 1/2 cup of buttermilk and stir together with your hands until mixture clumps together into cohesive mass when pressed. If necessary, incorporate up to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk. Don't overknead the dough, it's better if it's a little rough.
4. Form two-tablespoon balls with a portion scoop or large spoon and place on top of fruit. Leave some space between the dough balls. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until biscuits have browned slightly and interiors aren't gooey when poked with a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cobbler rest for at least half an hour for the fruit base to set before serving.