LONG FERMENT:

• If you prefer to long-ferment the sourdough biscuit topping, complete steps 1-3 under Sourdough Biscuit Topping the day before, then cover and store the dough in the fridge overnight. The following day, continue with the rest of the recipe and bake as normal.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.

Peach Filling

• To a large bowl, add the chopped peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix until combined, then pour the peach filling into the prepared baking dish and par bake them for 10 minutes.
• See below tips of how to easily peel and prepare the peaches.
• 4 pounds peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped into 1-inch pieces),55 grams brown sugar,55 grams all-purpose flour,15 grams fresh lemon juice,1 gram cinnamon

Sourdough Biscuit Topping

• In the meantime, prepare the sourdough biscuit topping. To a bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined.
• 140 grams all-purpose flour,75 grams sugar,4 grams baking powder,6 grams baking soda,1 gram salt
• Grate the cold butter, then add it to the dry ingredients. With clean fingers, gently mix until all of the butter has been lightly coated with flour.
• 85 grams unsalted butter, cold
• Lastly, pour the cold sourdough discard over the flour/butter mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the discard is just incorporated. There will most likely be flour left behind. I like to sprinkle this on top of the biscuit dough, and fold it in half. Continue to do this until all of the flour is incorporated.
• You can substitute with active starter. Pop it into the fridge so that it is cold before using in the recipe.
• 240 grams sourdough discard, cold *see notes
• Divide the dough into 8 even pieces and form them into rustic discs. Remove the peaches from the oven and place the sourdough biscuits evenly on top of the warm peaches.
• Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar on top, if desired.
• 15 grams heavy cream,coarse sugar
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling on the edges. If you notice the biscuits are browning too quickly, top the cobbler with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Peach Filling

• Peaches: Select peaches that are soft to the touch, not rock-hard or overly soft. Too firm and the filling will be crunchy; too soft, and you’ll wind up with a mushy peach filling. Traditionally, peaches are sliced, but I learned from Sally’s Baking, that chopping peaches helps to maintain their delicious texture. Plus, it’s easier to pick up with a spoon. You can use frozen peaches if you are in a pinch. Thaw, drain and pat them dry before using. You want to remove as much moisture so the filling doesn’t get too watery. I don’t recommend using canned peaches. The peaches’ texture is already so soft, the peach cobbler will taste mushy.
• Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar, but you could also substitute with dark brown sugar for a more caramel-like flavor.
• Lemon juice: For the best flavor, I suggest using freshly squeezed lemon juice, but if you are in a pinch, store-bought will do!

Sourdough Biscuit Topping

• Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
• Leavening agent – Make sure your baking powder and soda haven’t expired. Replace it every 6 months after opening, or your biscuits won’t rise properly.
• Unsalted butter – If you are using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
• Unfed sourdough starter – If you don’t have 240 grams of discard, you can also use 120 grams of cold discard. Increase the flour from 140 grams to 200 grams, then when you add the cold discard, also add 60 grams of cold milk.
• For sweet recipes, like this peach cobbler recipe, I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard that is no older than 1-2 days old. You can also use active starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. If you have time, pop the active starter in the fridge so that it is cold. This will help the biscuits to bake up light and fluffy.
• Heavy cream – The final step is to brush the biscuits with heavy cream for a beautiful golden finish. You could also substitute with milk.

Preparing the Peaches

• Boil the peaches for a few seconds in boiling water (about 4 peaches at a time). Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate. Wait a few seconds before using your fingers to remove the peel. It should come off easily.
• Alternatively, you can also use a sharp peeler like this one. Peaches are juicy, so I often rinsed my peeler and hands while preparing the peaches.
• Use a sharp knife to slice the peaches, remove from the pit, then chop the slices into 1 inch chunks.