Rose Strawberry Cobbler

I got the inspiration from a recipe in Bake From Scratch magazine they called Strawberry Raspberry Cobbler. I was intrigued because of the addition of rose water. I had all the ingredients and so plunged right in. (But I left out the cardamon. It's one spice I don't enjoy much.) I called my Pop over for a taste-test of the still steaming product. We munched and I squinted and chewed and then sighed. Not what my mouth was anticipating.

The addition of nut meal seemed to weigh it down. And as much as I love raspberries, their texture was a distraction. The rose flavor barely came through. It was disappointing. What to do but try again, my way? And right then, no waiting about. Dive back in!

I made my tried and true cobbler batter from my Grandma Betty. It cooks up light, but firm enough to suspend fruit and not be a sodden mess of juices. I enthused over it and gave the recipe in Blackberry Peach Cobbler . 

This is a picture from the old post. This time I let the butter brown up nicely.

Here is where I changed it a small bit. I heated the stick of butter in the oven as usual, but made sure I left it in until it browned, all rich and crusty. The Bake From Scratch recipe called for one tsp rose water for a 8x8 pan, and since I was making a 9x13 pan full, I doubled it. So I mixed 2 teaspoons of Rose Water into my basic cobbler batter.

Lastly, I was more sparing with the fruit. I dropped strawberries that I had halved or quartered over the batter, leaving space in between. I used approximately 1 and 1/4 cup.  Normally I would have had a bowl of chopped berries and just scattered it willy-nilly and more profusely.

The cobbler smelled luscious cooking up. When it was done, Pop and I tried again. I topped the slightly cooled slabs with homemade whipped cream made with a bit of rose petal sugar and then drizzled over a bit of the rose petal syrup I had jarred- see my posts Rose Petal and Lavender Sugar and Rose Petal Syrup to see how I make it.

This was it! This was what my mouth desired when it first read the original recipe. Lovely rich batter just touched with a hint of rose and studded with roasted berries. The addition of cream and the rose syrup was literally the crowning touch. Even if I am really happy with something I have made, I don't often eat second helpings. I'm already thinking of what I can make next! But this... I ate most of the 9x13 pan myself. And there was no guilt or shame involved, just heaps of enjoyment!

 Rose water is easy to find at drugstores and health food spots and once you have it you may be surprised at the things you end up putting a touch in. You can even put a bit on a damp rag as you put clothes into the dryer and end up with sheets or clothing scented like a summer flower garden. Go easy though, in cooking and scenting with rose water. You want a light wash of floral essence, not an overwhelming "cat-lady splashed with a bottle of eau du toilette" kind of smell. Yeah. I'll leave you with that thought.
    I really wish you would try this cobbler. If you can't find good, fresh strawberries you could get a bag of large-cut frozen ones and plop them in while still hard. They might release a bit more juice, but I don't think that would be a bad thing. Now I am wondering how fresh peaches would be with rose water. I wish I had thought of it when my husband brought home sacks of them! If you try this, or another fruit combination, let me know how it was!

 "...fully enjoy the eating of a strawberry, the scent of a rose, the touch of a hand on a cheek..."  ~Michael Gurian

I have a house in the south of France and I have a small garden. My name is Dujardin - 'from the garden.' I grow carrots, peppers, strawberries, green beans, and things for salads, but there are lots of wild boars all around and they steal the food. Jean Dujardin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeandujard419494.html?src=t_strawberries

I have a house in the south of France and I have a small garden. My name is Dujardin - 'from the garden.' I grow carrots, peppers, strawberries, green beans, and things for salads, but there are lots of wild boars all around and they steal the food. Jean Dujardin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jeandujard419494.html?src=t_strawberries