When I think of peaches, I think of Georgia. All it takes is one bite of a juicy peach and I've got Georgia on my mind.
I lived in the peach state for about a year. In that short time, I was blessed with all things southern...gracious hospitality, sweet tea, Vidalia onions, fresh roasted peanuts, and of course, luscious peaches. A fragrant magnolia tree graced my front yard. I would sometimes sip mint juleps under it while listening to the cicadas sing. My perfectly coiffed southern belle neighbors addressed me as "Miss Linda". I could almost envision them in hoop skirts a la Scarlett O'Hara, sashaying about while syrupy southern witticisms dripped off their tongues.
If only peach season were as long as a southerner lingers on a vowel. Much like cherry season, peach season is short, so I must seize the opportunity to feature the official fruit of Georgia. However, I'm beginning to wonder if I should stay away from pies made with stone fruit. Last week's cherry pie turned out to be the pits and this week's peach pie was hardly peachy keen. My disastrous pie result made an unwelcome and abrupt entrance into my sweet Georgia reverie. Apparently, I don't know nuthin' 'bout bakin' no peach pies.
Despite my peach pie demise, I will post the recipe. It's one of Ken Haedrich's and I know that a pie master like Mr. Ken creates recipes that results in masterpiece pies. A mere pie novice like me, however, can hardly hope to consistently produce showpiece pies. This recipe is not difficult. Just make sure to avoid doing what I did. Use ripe peaches, make sure to peel all the fuzzy skin off those ripe peaches, do not over bake the pie which will curdle the cream, and make sure to chill the pie thoroughly before serving.
Two botched pies in a row is not enough to deter me. As Scarlett O'Hara once said, "After all. Tomorrow is another day."
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cold water
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Toss well by hand to mix. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and toss to mix. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut or rub the butter into the flour until it is broken into pieces the size of small peas. Add the shortening and continue to cut until all of the fat is cut into small pieces. Sprinkle half of the water over the mixture. Toss well with a fork to dampen the mixture. Add the remaining water, 1 1/2-2 tablespoons at a time, and continue to toss and mix, pulling the mixture up from the bottom of the bowl on the upstroke and gently pressing down on the downstroke. Dough made my hand often needs a bit more water. If necessary, add water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the pastry can be packed.
Using your hands, pack the pastry into a ball as you would pack a snowball. Knead the ball once or twice, then flatten the ball into a 3/4-inch-thick disk on a floured work surface. Wrap the disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.
On a sheet of lightly floured waxed paper, roll the pastry into a 13-inch circle with a floured rolling pin. Invert the pastry over a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan, center, and peel off the paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching it, and sculpt the edge so it is flush with the top of the pan. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Filling:
2 1/2 to 3 cups peeled, pitted, and sliced ripe peaches (you can substitute a 1 pound bag of frozen sliced peaches, thawed)
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Big pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Distribute the peach slices evenly in the chilled shell. Combine the cream, confectioner's sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium-size bowl and whisk to blend. Slowly pour the cream over the peaches. Use a fork, if necessary, to rearrange the peach slices evenly in the shell.
Place the pie on the center oven rack and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the pie, then return it to the oven, placing it so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces forward. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the top is caramel-colored, 15-20 minutes. The filling will still be liquidy.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let cool thoroughly. Cover with loosely tented aluminum foil and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
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