Autumn fruit cobbler

Serves 4-6

Although most of our colourful berries are over, there's plenty of seasonal fruit around: pears, apples, Dorset blueberries, various types of the plum family, and of course wild hedgerow blackberries which give everything a bit of colour.

1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
2 pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
200g plums
200g blueberries
200g blackberries
120g caster sugar

for the cobbler

85g unsalted butter, softened
110g caster sugar
220g strong plain flour
1/2tsp baking powder
A good pinch of salt
100ml milk
1 small egg beaten

Put the apple and pears into a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the sugar and cook on a low heat for 5-6 minutes with the lid on, stirring every so often, until the apple begins to break down. Add the plums and continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 10 minutes then stir in the blueberries and blackberries. Transfer the mixture into a large ovenproof serving dish.

Meanwhile make the cobbler dough. In a food mixer or by hand, cream the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until it begins to turn almost white. Carefully fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until well mixed then gradually add the milk until the mix resembles sticky dough.

Pre-heat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5. Flour your hands and divide and mould the dough into 16-20 small rough balls and place on to a non-stick baking sheet, brush with the egg and bake for 6-7 minutes. Place them on to the fruit mix and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the dough is a golden colour.

Serve with thick cream or custard.