Cut some of the butter for low-fat fruit cobbler

Dear Jeanne: Every spring, I love to eat as many berries as I can, then in the summer I like to eat all the peaches I can, and I use them in recipes like this. Can I make it with less butter without ruining it? Hope you can help. — Bianca M., Cincinnati

Dear Bianca: I find it easier to let the fruit macerate in the sugar a little while to bring out the juices instead of cooking it. I also found that the only thing that really changed in the nutritional analysis when the fruit was changed was the fiber. The version with peaches had 2 grams, and the one with berries had 5 grams. Using whole-wheat pastry flour added another gram of fiber.

FRUIT COBBLER

4 cups fresh berries, or other fruit

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

8 tablespoons butter

11/2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the fruit, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Melt the butter in a 9-by-13-inch pan. Mix the flour, sugar and milk together. Pour over the melted butter; do not stir. Spoon the fruit on top. Bake 30-45 minutes.

Serves 8.

REDUCED-FAT FRUIT COBBLER

4 cups fresh berries, or other cut-up fruit

1?3 cup sugar

11/4 cups all-purpose flour or whole-wheat pastry flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup fat-free milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Spray a 11/2-quart serving dish or a 9-by-9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Place the fruit and 1?3 cup sugar in a bowl, stir and set aside.