Fruit cobbler comes in many guises, from biscuit-topped peaches, to blueberries on a cake batter base to this red, white and blue version: basically, a blueberry/strawberry pie made in a 9" x 13" pan. And when the Fourth of July rolls around, what better way to show your colors than this?
To make the bottom crust, stars, and stripes: Divide the pastry in half. Roll one piece into a generous 9" x 13" rectangle, and place it into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan, pressing it to the edges if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the other piece of dough into a 6" x 13" rectangle. Cut six 3/4"-wide x 13"-long strips; these will be your flag's white stripes. Use a star cookie cutter to cut 9 to 12 small (about 1 1/4") stars from the remainder of the dough. Place the stars and stripes, spaced 1" apart on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°F while the crust is chilling.
Prick the bottom crust all over with a fork. This will help keep it from puffing up too precipitously. If desired, for sparkle and crunch, brush or spray the stars and stripes with water, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar.
Place the bottom crust on a middle oven rack, and the stars and stripes on a lower rack. Bake the stars for 10 to 12 minutes; the stripes for 18 to 20 minutes, until set and barely browned. You want them to be fully baked, but still be fairly light-colored. Remove them from the oven.
Bake the bottom crust until it's a light golden brown, about 20 to 22 minutes. Check it several times; if it's puffing up, deflate it with a fork or the sharp tip of a knife. Remove the baked crust from the oven.
To prepare the blueberry filling: Place half the blueberries in a saucepan and crush them a bit with a spoon. Stir in the sugar and enhancer. Cook over medium heat until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the remaining blueberries and lemon juice.
To prepare the strawberry filling: Place half the strawberries in a saucepan, crush them, and stir in the sugar, enhancer, salt, and water. Cook until thickened then remove from the heat and stir in the remaining strawberries and lemon juice.
To assemble the cobbler: Spoon the strawberries over a bit more than 3/4 of the bottom of the pan, leaving a rectangular space in the top left for the blueberries.
Spoon the blueberries into the bare space.
Lay the six stripes atop the strawberries, leaving a long edge of berries showing at both the top and bottom of the pan. Trim the stripes where they meet the blueberry filling.
Arrange the baked stars over the blueberries.
The crust and filling are both pre-cooked, so the cobbler can be served at this point, slightly warm or at room temperature. Serve portions with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Storage instructions: Store any leftovers, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.
Note: The method for making this cobbler has been updated since the recipe was originally published. To keep the blueberry and strawberry sections distinct and ensure a clear flag design, the crust and filling are both pre-cooked separately before assembling.
