Yield: 8 servings.
For the biscuits:
5 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for best results, freeze for 1 hour)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk, very cold
For the filling:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 pounds fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 (13-ounce) jar cherry preserves
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the biscuits: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut in chilled butter until the flour resembles peas. Slowly add cold milk and incorporate with pastry cutter or hands. Do not overmix. Dough will be wet. Pour dough onto a clean, heavily floured countertop. Shape dough into a ball and roll out to ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch-round biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate biscuits for 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 ̊.
For the filling: Prepare a 2-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Arrange cherries in baking dish. In a saucepan over low heat, mix together sugar, water, cherry preserves, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Heat to a thick sauce consistency. Pour filling over cherries.
Arrange chilled biscuits over filling. Brush biscuits with melted butter.
Place cobbler on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 ̊ and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
