NEW England MUD Cobbler

NEW ENGLAND MUD COBBLER

It is spring in New England and especially here in northern New England we have one of those seasons in-between that we call Mud Season.  It is that season when the snow is melting and there is a lot of runoff.  It is also a rainy season with the rivers and streams running high and flooding.  The side roads, those unpaved roads that become mud holes, slick with mud and filled with ruts and they are no fun to travel over, if you can.

Someone somewhere along the line created a wonderful dessert in honor of this muddy season and named it New England Mud Cobbler.  I don’t know who that person was but I know the recipe has been around for a long time and passed from neighbor to friend and down through the generations.  I think it was a nice gesture for that person to come up with such a great recipe to sweeten up this otherwise sour season when it is no longer really winter but not quite spring.

Mud season can be pretty rough traveling but Mud Cobble is a wonderful way to celebrate that season of mud.  Here is how to make it.

NEW ENGLAND MUD COBBLER

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Lightly grease and flour a 9” x 9” cake pan

In a medium mixing bowl combine and sift together

1 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 rounded Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Make a well in the center and add

3 Tbsp. butter melted

1/2 cup whole milk

1 Rounded Tbsp. mayonnaise

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until smooth and well combined

Fold in

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup seedless raisins

Spread batter evenly in prepared cake pan. 

Sprinkle

1 cup mini-marshmallows over batter and set aside

In a small mixing bowl stir together to combine

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

Sprinkle over batter and marshmallows in cake pan

VERY slowly pour

1 3/4 cups very hot (not boiling) water over all

Bake 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes Remove from oven and place pan on wire rack to cool.Cool to room temperature before serving. Serve plain, with a dab of whipped cream garnished with a few chocolate chips or shaved chocolate or a scoop of ice cream drizzled over with chocolate fudge topping (Recipe below).  This is also very good with a spoonful of thawed frozen raspberries over the top with that dab of whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

QUICK and EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE TOPPING

In a small mixing bowl sift together

1 box confectioner’s sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp.)

Add

1/2 cup butter or margarine melted

1/2 cup evaporated milk or light cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat until smooth

Add more milk a few drops at a time until sauce is

at desired consistency to drizzle over dessert.