Fruit Cobbler

Particularly good with strawberries and rhubarb, but you can use any fruit combo you like; about 1 1/2 pounds of fruit should do it.

For the fruit:
2 apricots, pitted and sliced
1 pear, cored and thickly sliced
1 pint blackberries
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
1 stick rhubarb
5 tablespoons sugar
A good glug balsamic vinegar

For the topping:
4 ounces butter, chilled
8 ounces self-rising flour
2 1/2 ounces sugar
A large pinch salt
4 1/2 fluid ounces buttermilk
A little sugar, for dusting

Vanilla ice cream, as an accompaniment

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the fruit into a pan with the sugar and the balsamic vinegar. Put the pan over the heat, and cook gently, until the juices begin to run from the berries. Pour into an ovenproof dish.

Meanwhile make the topping. Rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the sugar and salt, stir well, and then add the buttermilk to form a loose, scone-type mixture. Roll balls of the dough and place randomly over the hot fruit. Sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes