Michigan Cherry Cobbler

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Get out a 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass baking dish.

For the Filling:
1. Place pitted cherries into a mesh strainer set over a large bowl to allow a little juice to drain. (Frozen cherries may be used, if thawed completely before using. Thaw frozen cherries in a strainer set over a large bowl, too. Measure the frozen cherries after they have thawed.) You should get enough juice for the recipe whether using fresh or frozen cherries.
2. Mix sugar and cornstarch well in a medium saucepan. (Do not turn on the heat, yet.)
3. Combine the cherry juice and cold water in a measuring cup.
4. Slowly stir the juice/water mixture into the sugar mixture in the pan, whisking until smooth. Stir in the salt.
5. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until very thick. (Think of the consistency of hot fudge, and you are there.)
6. Once it boils and thickens, remove pan from heat and fold in the cherries.
7. Spread the filling in the bottom of the 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass baking dish.
8. Refrigerate the filled baking dish for about 10 minutes, to cool.

For the Biscuit Topping:
1. In a large, bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
2. Add very cold butter to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Cut in with a pastry blender or grate through a box grater, until butter is the size of small peas.
3. Gradually add ¾ Cup of the milk, lightly stirring to combine. Add a little more of the remaining milk until the dough just pulls away from the side of the bowl, without being too wet or overly sticky. (I typically only need about 1 Cup of milk, depending on the density of the flour and humidity. I start with ¾ Cup, then if the dough is still too dry, slowly add about ¼ cup more milk, until dough comes together.)

Now proceed one of two ways:
1. TO MAKE A DROP BISCUIT TOPPING: Scoop biscuit dough with a large spoon, and plop dough balls onto the cherry filling OR

2. TO MAKE A ROLLED BISCUIT TOPPING: Turn dough out onto a clean and lightly floured work surface or pastry mat. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Then, flatten the dough into a 1 inch thick rectangle. Gently knead the dough by folding it onto itself and lightly flattening into another rectangle. Repeat this process 5 times. It is important to have a light touch, and not to over work dough or the biscuits will be tough. Slow and gentle is the key.
3. Pat or roll the kneaded dough into a large rectangle, ½ inch tall.
4. Using a 3 inch diameter biscuit or cookie cutter, push straight down through the dough to cut biscuits. Do not twist the biscuit cutter, or biscuits will not rise as well. Also, cut the biscuits as close together as possible.
5. When you have cut all of the biscuits that you can, piece together remaining dough, and repeat the process until all of the dough is used.
6. Gently place cut biscuits 1-inch apart on top of the filling.
4. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little milk, and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.
5. Bake the cobbler for about 15 minutes, or until tops of biscuits are puffy and begin to turn golden brown around the edges, and filling is bubbling.
6. Let cobbler rest for 5 minutes before serving warm. Add a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, if desired.