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Blanch the Peaches:
1/8 Bushel of Fresh Ripe Peaches (not too ripe though, soft to the touch, not mushy ripe, to make about 10 Cups of Peach Slices)
Fill a pot with water to about just over the height of a peach, and bring to a boil to blanch the peaches one at a time. When the water comes to a boil turn down the heat; as it does not have to be a rapid boil, just a simmer. Place the first peach in the pot of hot water for about twenty to thirty seconds, remove it and put in the second peach. While the second peach is blanching peal the first one under a stream of cold water. Take a pearing knife as to slice the peach in half and the skin should come right off, remove the pit and set aside the sliced peach half. Just continue repeating this process until you have a big bowl of sliced peaches.
Make the Filling:
2 Tablespoons of Fresh Lemon Juice (optional)
2 Cups of Sugar
1/4 Cup of All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Powdered Nutmeg (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Powdered Cinnamon (optional)
1/3 Cup of Unsalted Sweet Butter (melted, same as 5 1/3 Tablespoons, or approximately 2/3 of a butter stick)Combine the Sliced Peaches, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Flour, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon in a large cooking pot or Dutch Oven (use the same one that you used to blanch the peaches if it is big enough, pour out the hot water, I used a giant bowl for the mixture, then poured the mixture into the pot). Let it rest for about twenty minutes or so until the sugar is dissolved and a syrup has formed. Make the crust while you are waiting. Then over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook the Peach Filling mixture for 10 minutes. Remember to stir it so that it does not burn on the bottom or stick to the pot. When it's all cooked turn off the heat, and then stir in the melted butter.
The Crust:
3 Cups of Pioneer Brand Original Biscuit & Baking Mix (or use Bisquik if you don't have this)
1 1/2 Cups of Sugar
3/4 Cup of Unsalted Sweet Butter (Room Temp., 12 Tablespoons, same as 1 1/2 butter sticks)
3/4 Cup of Half and Half (Cream)
3/4 teaspoon of Adams Double Strength Vanilla ExtractMix: In a Plastic Mixing Bowl (with a cover) Measure the in the Baking Mix and Sugar, Cut in the Butter, Mix in the Cream, then the Vanilla. Form in to a large dough ball, put the cover on the bowl and place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes, no longer. A good time to go back and finish the filling now, and preheat the oven to 400°F (bottom crust only).
Putting the Cobbler Together:
Remove the dough ball and separate it into three equal portions. Roll out the first portion on a floured surface to line the bottom of a buttered 10 by 14 inch Pyrex Baking Dish, you can put some of the dough around the edge too if you want. Brush the dough with melted butter. Place it in the oven for about five minutes, just until it gets light brown. Roll out the next crust while it's baking. Remove the crust from the oven, turn up the oven to 475°F, and spoon in half of the Peach Filling Mixture. Top with the next layer of crust, brush with melted butter, and return it to the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until it starts to get light brown. Roll out the Top Crust while it's baking. I like to do the Top Crust with Criss-cross strips, so cut the dough into 1 inch strips after it's rolled out. Remove the pan from the oven once again, and spoon the remaining Peach Filling Mixture over the previous layers. Arrange the Top Crust in a Criss-cross Lattice Pattern on the Top Crust, then brush it with melted butter, (you can also sprinkle it with some course 'kosher' sugar if you want, for that special effect), and return it to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden browned, remove and let it cool.
Serve warm with a scoop Bluebell Homestyle Vanilla Ice Cream.
Serves about 12 people, or cover and place in the refrigerator, reheat portions in the microwave as needed. If you have found you have made too much Peach Filling, place it in a plastic container with a lid and freeze it for the next time. The frozen cooked Peach Filling Mixture is also great added to Homemade Peach Ice Cream, or just to make Peach Sorbe' later. When I have been in a hurry I have also just put the whole cobbler together at once, with just the bottom and a top crust, without baking the individual layers. It turned out just as good, nobody could tell the difference. Some people might say it is a peach pie with just the bottom and top crust. So I made a batch in round pie pans once, and added a corn starch slurry to the Peach Filling so that it would thicken up a little more. This same recipe made three peach pies. Another variation is with no bottom crust and that also saves a step. Lastly, if you are not fortunate enough to live in a great place that has lot's of fresh peaches like I do, you can always substitute canned peaches (don't use as much sugar), or unsweetened frozen peaches for the fresh peaches. I know this recipe turned out pretty long, and it takes me about two hours to make, but it's worth it!