Buckles & Crisps & Cobblers Oh My

Summer baking isn't always an easy thing.Who wants to create a complicated torte when it's ninety degrees outside?However there are some tasty baked treats that require almost no work, They are the fruit filled buckles, crisps and cobblers. They are  baking at it's simplest but also at its' most delicious.

For starters, buckles, crisps and cobblers are somewhat alike but there are some differences. Buckles are more buttery and cakelike. Fruit of the season is mixed with a rich batter and sometimes topped with a streusel topping. It's one of America's oldest dessert recipe, having been made in colonial New England kitchens. Originally it was made with blueberries but now home bakers can use peaches and nectarines as well as raspberries and blackberries. It does have to be made with wet fruit hence the buckling effect so unfortunately apples and pears won't work with it.Melissa Clark offered a recipe in her A Good Appetite column in Wednesday's New York Times Food column. Hers is made with mixed berries such as blueberries  and blackberries along with black raspberries. She also gives it a light sprinkle of cinnamon too and tops the finished buckle with iced cream. Whipped cream or even crème fraiche also goes well with it too.

Crisps are somewhat easier to make and a good starting off point for novice home bakers.They're simply a mix of sugar butter and flour poured over fruit. They can be made with everything from rhubarb and strawberries  to apples and peaches. Apple crisps sometimes have oats added to them as well but it's up to the baker. They're a snap to make , and a fun back to school treat to make with the kids serve with mounds of cool Whip or iced cream.Cobbler is another simple dessert that can be made with frozen biscuits. Bisquick can also be used to create a tasty topping as can yellow cake mix. Your best bet is a scratch  one using flour and baking powder for a light fluffy one. Some home bakers add oatmeal and cinnamon but save that for the crisps. French style has one or two eggs in it for a much more cakier topping.A good cobbler is an equal blend of biscuit that's not too sweet and that will sop up the fruits' juices and fruits that will bake up soft and pulpy. Cobblers can also be made with cherries and blackberries but the peach kind is the best. Again you can serve it with vanilla ice cream , crème fraiche or good old whipped cream.

The weather is sweltering yet you can still bake. Try the super easy buckles  crisps or cobblers with the fruit of the season. They are a snap to make and oh so delicious to eat.