Stone fruits are currently in season and man are they sweet. They're also incredibly versatile to cook and bake with. They're easy to to grill, add into salads or incorporate into sweets like pies, strudels and cobblers. The worst part is peeling them but once you get past that tiresome and sticky task, it's smooth sailing. One of my favorite desserts to make are crumbles. They're simple, easy and don't take much skill which is perfect for a low-level baker like me. I really wanted to try something a little different and more traditional with a cobbler though.

The apricot element happened by accident. I thought I had enough peaches for a cobbler but I miscalculated and a run to the store was not an option. So instead, I improvised by using apricots that I had on hand. It turned out to be a fantastic choice. Where the peaches were sweet and tart, the apricots were sweet and mellow. The textures are about the same too so they practically blended together.

When it comes to a cobbler, the topping is more solid than a crumble, kind of like a sugar cookie. The flour and sugar ratio is 1:1 so if you want to halve anything, just keep that in mind. This recipe made just enough to cover a 9-inch pie pan generously. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet covered in tin foil to catch anything that might drip over the sides. Trust me, you'll want to do this unless you enjoy scraping sticky goop off the bottom of your oven.

PEACH APRICOT COBBLER
Ingredients:
6 Peaches, peeled and sliced
5 Apricots, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Butter, melted and cooled
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together peaches, apricots, brown sugar, corn starch and cinnamon. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Add melted butter and mix until the ingredients form a a moldable but still slightly crumbly dough.

3. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Add peach and apricot mixture to the pan, spreading it in an even layer. Form the dough into disks and layer on top of the peaches. Play around with the sizes for a rustic look.

4. Place in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes until the fruit is bubbly and topping is browned. Serve with ice cream on top.

Now, I am no southern belle. This is my first time making a cobbler so cut me a bit of slack. I know I have a lot of learning to do but I don't think that this is too shabby for my first go. It was super sweet though. I definitely recommend the vanilla ice cream on top to mellow it out a bit.