Upside-Down Peach Cobbler By Melissa Clark

This juicy pastry crosses a peach cobbler with a caramel-coated apple tarte Tatin. To make it, the peaches are caramelized with sugar in a skillet just like apples are in a classic tarte Tatin. But then, instead of being covered with pie dough or puff pastry, the fruit is topped with fluffy biscuit dough. While baking, the biscuits rise and brown, creating a golden, tender pillow on which the jammy fruit lands when it’s all unmolded. The whole thing is a bit more cakey in texture than the usual crisp-crusted Tatin, with the allure of fresh ripe peaches.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BISCUITS

1¾cups/225 grams all-purpose flour ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar 1tablespoon baking powder ¾teaspoon baking soda ¼teaspoon fine sea salt 6tablespoons/85 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed ¾cup plus 1 tablespoon/192 milliliters sour cream, more for serving 1tablespoon Demerara or raw sugar

FOR THE FILLING ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar Pinch of fine sea salt 1teaspoon honey 4tablespoons/56 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces, at room temperature 2pounds small peaches or nectarines (8 to 10), halved and pitted (if using large fruit, quarter instead of halving) Sour cream, crème fraîche or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Step 1: place a piece of parchment paper on a plate.
2. Step 2: To prepare the biscuits, in a food processor, pulse together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pulse in butter just until the mixture looks like lima beans. Add ¾ cup sour cream and pulse just to combine. Alternatively, you can do this in a bowl, cutting the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives, then mixing in the sour cream. If the mixture is still too crumbly to hold together, add a tablespoon or two of water (or even a bit more: It should hold together as a crumbly, but not floury, dough).
3. Step 3: Transfer to a lightly floured surface and pat dough together, incorporating any stray or dry pieces. Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Transfer to the parchment paper-lined baking pan or plate, and flatten balls into ½-inch-thick disks; wrap loosely with plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
4. Step 4: Heat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare the filling, in a 10-inch nonstick skillet, combine ¼ cup water, sugar, salt and honey. Bring to boil, stirring. Stop stirring and continue to simmer until the caramel is the deep amber brown color of an Irish setter (it may be difficult to see with the skillet), 6 to 10 minutes.
5. Step 5: Remove from heat and whisk in butter (stand back, the caramel may bubble up and splatter).
6. Step 6: Arrange peaches, cut side down, as close together as possible in the skillet. Return to heat and simmer the peaches in the caramel for 5 minutes, then carefully flip the peaches to cut side up. Simmer for another 5 minutes to condense the juices.
7. Step 7: Top peaches with biscuits. Brush the biscuits with remaining 1 tablespoon sour cream, then sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
8. Step 8: Place skillet on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflowing filling, and bake until biscuits are golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly (about 10 to 15 minutes but no longer), then carefully flip onto a serving platter, replacing any peaches that stick to the pan back onto the crust. It may look runny, but the caramel and juices will continue to set as they cool. Serve warm with sour cream, crème fraîche or whipped cream.