Description
Rich chocolate cobbler from Southern kitchens delivers warm, gooey goodness in a single skillet. Molten chocolate sauce pools beneath a tender cake-like crust, creating pure dessert magic when you serve it with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup flour
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.625 ml) salt
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot tap water
- Vanilla ice cream (for serving)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and position rack in middle position. Lightly grease a small ceramic baking dish.
- Batter Creation: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, instant espresso powder, and cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. Blend milk, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla into dry ingredients until a thick, smooth batter forms.
- Initial Layer: Spread the chocolate batter evenly across the prepared ceramic dish, creating a uniform base layer.
- Sugar Topping: Combine cocoa powder with granulated and brown sugars, creating a fine, powdery mixture. Generously distribute this sugar blend over the chocolate batter, ensuring complete coverage.
- Liquid Integration: Gently pour hot tap water across the top of the layered dessert, taking care not to disrupt the sugar coating.
- Baking Process: Place the baking dish on a small sheet pan to catch potential drips. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a crisp, crackled surface develops and the underlying texture remains pudding-like.
- Resting and Serving: Remove from oven and allow cobbler to rest for 15 minutes, enabling flavors to meld and texture to set. Serve warm, accompanied by a decadent scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic dessert experience.
Notes
- Manage Moisture Levels: The hot water creates a self-saucing magic underneath the chocolate layer, so don’t stir or mix after pouring.
- Protect Oven Surface: Using a baking sheet underneath prevents potential sugar and water overflow, keeping your oven clean and preventing burnt residue.
- Watch Baking Time Carefully: Exactly 35 minutes ensures a perfect balance between a crispy top and a decadent, pudding-like bottom – overcooking will dry out the dessert.
- Resting is Crucial: Allowing the cobbler to sit for 15 minutes after baking helps stabilize the texture and intensifies the rich chocolate flavors, transforming it from good to extraordinary.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg