Friday, September 25, 2015

Peach Pie

 
Ingredients:
For the crust:
  • 2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
  • 6 oz COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
  • 3 Tbsp milk
For the filling:
  • 5-7 large peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced (~6 1/2 to 7 cups sliced)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp salt
For the egg wash:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp water
Preparations:
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
  2. Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a food processor with dough blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
  3. Drizzle the milk over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula until the dough forms moist clumps. Depending on your butter and cream cheese, you may not need to use any of the milk or the full 3 Tbsp.
  4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.
  5. Once pie crust has cooled in the fridge at least 1 hour, and you are ready to use the pie crust, remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator and on a clean surface, roll it out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
  6. Take the next piece of dough out of the fridge and roll it into a 12-inch circle, cover with plastic and refrigerate while you prep your pie filling.
  7. For the filling, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt.
  8. Blanch peaches by putting them in boiling hot water for 1 minute, then transferring to a bowl of ice water. Peel, pit, and slice peaches into 1/4″ thick slices.
  9. Transfer peaches to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla and gently stir. Sprinkle with the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
  10. Transfer the peaches onto the crust in the pie dish. Lay remaining crust on top, trim off any excess dough, and crimp the edges. Cut some slices in the top crust to allow for steam to escape.
  11. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together the egg and 1 Tbsp water to make your egg wash. Brush the top of your pie generously with egg wash.
  12. Place pie on the center rack and bake at 425F for 20 minutes then place cookie sheet lined with foil under the pie to catch an drips and reduce oven to 375F and bake an additional 35-40 min or until the filling is bubbling. Loosely Cover the pie with foil if it is starting to brown too quickly.
  13. Let the pie cool down ideally at least 2 hours so the filling thickens.