Cobbler

Doneness

Done when the biscuit or batter topping is deep golden and set (no raw, doughy patches) and the fruit underneath is bubbling thickly at the edges. A toothpick in the topping should come out clean. If the top is browning but the centre topping still jiggles wet, tent with foil and give it a few more minutes — the bubbling fruit is the real signal that it's cooked through.

Oil & seasoning

Lightly grease the baking dish so the cobbler releases. No spray on the topping itself — dot it with butter if the recipe calls for it.

Season with: Peach (the benchmark): sliced peaches with a buttery drop-biscuit or batter topping and a little cinnamon — the classic Southern cobbler., Mixed-berry: blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries under the topping for a tart, jammy version., Apple-cinnamon: spiced apple slices, almost a cobbler-crisp hybrid., Cherry: sweet or tart cherries with a touch of almond extract in the topping..

Watch out for

• !Use a dish small enough to leave an airflow gap around it in the basket — a too-large dish blocks circulation and the topping won't set.
• !Don't overfill: cobbler bubbles up as it cooks and will spill over the dish and onto the basket if filled to the rim.
• !Tent loosely with foil if the topping browns before the fruit is bubbling — the topping cooks faster than the fruit under air-fryer heat.
• !If using frozen fruit, add a few extra minutes and drain excess liquid, or the cobbler turns watery and the topping stays gummy.
• !Let it rest 5–10 minutes after cooking; the fruit filling is molten straight from the basket and the topping firms as it cools.