Desserts are delicious, but they can also be confusing. Is this a cake or a pie? Is this a tart or a grunt? What’s the difference between all these things?! Well, don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered with an ultimate cheat sheet on what each dessert is and how to order them at restaurants.
Cobbler
Cobbler is a fruit dessert made with a thick batter, usually on top of a fruit filling. Cobbler originated in the southern United States and has since become popular across America. The name cobbler comes from its resemblance to cobblestone streets–the irregular fruit pieces are like stones and the crust is like asphalt! The basic ingredients for cobbler are flour, sugar, butter or shortening, milk or cream (or both); some recipes call for eggs as well. You can use any kind of berry or stone fruit; peaches and blueberries are popular options but don’t feel limited to those!
Crumble
Crumbles are a streusel-like topping made with butter, flour and sugar. They’re typically used as a topping for fruit desserts like pies or cobblers. Crumbles can be made with oats, nuts or other ingredients to give them more texture and flavor.
Pandowdy
Pandowdy is a fruit dessert that’s made with a batter of flour, butter and milk. The batter is poured over fruit and the whole thing is baked. The top layer of the batter becomes crisp and brown while it bakes, creating an interesting contrast between its crisp exterior and soft interior. Pandowdys were popular during colonial times in America because they could be easily transported from town to town without spoiling due to their sturdy nature (they’re basically like pies). While pandowdys are most commonly associated with apples nowadays, there are many different variations: blueberry pandowdies; peach pandowdies; cherry pandowdies–the possibilities are endless!
Grunt
Grunt is a dessert that consists of fruit, sugar, and flour baked together in a single dish. It can be served with ice cream or whipped cream on top. A cobbler has been traditionally defined as a baked dessert made with fruit covered by a batter topping (usually biscuit) that’s been dropped onto the fruit before baking; however, there are many variations on this theme–some cobblers use pie dough instead of biscuits and others don’t even use any sort of crust at all! Grunts tend to have less liquid than cobblers do because they’re baked uncovered rather than covered like most pies or tarts would be cooked in an oven set at 350 F (180 C). The result is something that looks more like cake than pie filling but tastes delicious nonetheless!
Pie
Pie is a baked pastry dish consisting of a pastry crust filled with fruit, meat, vegetables or combinations of these. The filling and the crust may be made of the same pastry dough but this is not always the case.
Crisp
A crisp is a dessert made with fruit, sugar and flour. It’s baked in a pan and sliced into pieces when it’s done. A crisp is not a pie (although there are some exceptions). Pies have doughy crusts that can be pre-baked or hand-formed on top of the filling–they’re usually served warm from the oven. Crisps are generally served cold or at room temperature. They also aren’t crumbles or galettes since those don’t include flour as part of their base ingredients; they’re more like cobblers than anything else!
Buckle
Buckle is a dessert that’s baked and then chilled. It’s often made with fruit or berries, and it can be served warm or cold. Buckles are often served with ice cream, whipped cream or custard.
Betty
A Betty is a baked dessert made from a batter of flour, sugar, butter and milk. It can be sweet or savory; similar to a cobbler or grunt; but not the same as buckle (which is like a buckle).
Desserts can be confusing, but with this ultimate cheat sheet you’ll understand the different between a cobbler and a crumble in no time. Desserts are one of the most confusing things in life. When you’re eating out or at someone else’s house and someone offers you dessert, what do they mean? Is it something sweet? Or is it more like an appetizer? What about if they say “this is my favorite dessert”? Are we talking about ice cream here or maybe pie? It’s easy to get lost in translation when it comes to desserts–but not anymore! This cheat sheet will help clear up any confusion around these words so that next time someone asks if they can bring something over for dessert after dinner party with friends or family members who live far away from each other (or even closer), everyone knows exactly what kind of food item is appropriate given their situation.” We hope this cheat sheet has helped you understand the difference between a cobbler and a crumble. If you have any questions about desserts or other confusing topics, please feel free to contact us for more information!
