Splendid Summer Fruit Cobbler

#1: Batter:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour (bread flour will also work; whole wheat flour is too heavy)
Splenda equivalent to 4 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. low-sodium baking powder, such as Featherweight
4 tbsp unsalted butter (for even lower fat, substitue 4 tbsp soft ricotta cheese for the butter!)
Egg substitute (such as EggBeaters) equivalent to 2 eggs (usually 3-4 ounces of liquid)
3 ounces nonfat milk
Pinch of ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

#2Fruit filling:
Enough fresh peaches (or plums or nectarines) to make one pound when sliced and pitted (or one 16-ounce bag of frozen peach slices) - about 1.5 pounds before pitting
Enough cherries (or blueberries or raspberries) to make 1 pound when pitted (or one 16-ounce bag of frozen cherries)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. flour
1 tsp. cornstarch (plus have a little extra handy)
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

#3 Topping:
Splenda equivalent to 2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

If you are using frozen fruit, partially thaw it. If you are using fresh fruit, pit it, and slice the peaches into medium-thin slices. Pit the cherries.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a pan with 80 to 90 square inches of area - a 10 inch circular pan, 9 inch square pan, or 8 inch by 11 inch rectangular pan - by spraying it lightly with cooking spray (such as Pam).

Mix the water with the 1 tsp. of flour and the 1 tsp cornstarch, and the 1/2 tsp nutmeg, until cornstarch is dissolved in water. Put the fruit in a shallow bowl, and pour the water-cornstarch mixture over it, and let it sit there while you make the batter.

For the batter, in a mixing bowl, put together the 1.5 cups of flour, the 4 Tbsp. of Splenda, and the baking powder. Slice butter into thin shavings. (If you are using soft ricotta, just scoop out 4 individual Tablespoons, and that'll be soft enough). Cut the butter (or ricotta) into the flour with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles crumbs rather than flour. Add egg substitute, milk, and spices, and mix until moistened. This will be a pretty stiff batter, not a pourable one. Take approximately half the batter (no need to measure exactly ) and spread it evenly over the entire bottom of the pan - it will be a pretty thin layer. On top of that, spoon the fruit evenly, without the water. (If you want a more syrupy filling, save the water and add another teaspoon of cornstarch and mix till cornstarch is dissolved, and pour it over the fruit in the pan, but not so much that water "puddles." ) Spread the fruit evenly. You can also sprinkle more nutmeg over the fruit at this point, if you like spices.
With the remaining half the batter, drop it by rounded spoonsful on top of the fruit, spaced out so that there will be batter on every piece when you cut the finished cobbler - at least 9 servings, maybe 12, so figure 12 lumps of batter spaced across the top.

Mix together the last 2 teaspoons of Splenda and the cinnamon, and dust the entire top of the cobbler with it.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into one of the batter lumps on top comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition info is calculated based on dividing it into 9 pieces for servings; depending on which shape pan you use, 8 or 10 or 12 pieces might be easier to cut.

Note: prep time takes a while the first time you try the recipe; by the third time, and I guarantee your family or friends will like it enough that there will be a third time, you will have a feel for dissolving the cornstarch, making the batter, etc., and prep time will be about half what's listed.

Number of Servings: 9

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BUNRAB.