Peach pie
Peach pie is a classic summer dessert of the American South, with two flaky butter crusts wrapped around slices of juicy ripe peaches. As it bakes, the peach juices meet brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon to make a thick, glistening sauce. It is best served still slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Prep
- 1 hr
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Rising or chilling
- 4 hr
- Total time
- 6 hr 10 min
- Method
- Oven-baked
Ingredients
Double crust
Peach filling
Egg wash and sugar
Instructions
Step 1
Toss 325 g all-purpose flour, 12 g granulated sugar and 5 g salt together in a large bowl, add 225 g very cold unsalted butter cut into cubes and quickly rub it in until the pieces are the size of peanuts. Drizzle in 115 g ice water a little at a time, mixing with a spatula. Cold butter separates into flakes as it bakes, giving a flaky crust; the dough is ready when it is just moist enough to gather into a ball without sticking to your hands.
Step 2
Divide the dough in two, one portion slightly larger for the bottom, press each into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Chilled, rested dough rolls out easily and does not shrink in the oven. The dough is ready when a fingertip pressed into it leaves only a slight dent and it is no longer soft and sticky.
Step 3
Cut a cross in the bottom of each peach, drop them into a pot of rapidly boiling water for about 30 seconds, then transfer them straight to a bowl of ice water. The temperature shock loosens the skin from the flesh, so you can peel them quickly without losing any fruit. The peaches are ready when the skins slip off easily by hand; then remove the pits and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick.
Step 4
Toss 1,100 g sliced ripe peaches with 130 g granulated sugar, 50 g brown sugar, 20 g lemon juice, a pinch ground cinnamon and a pinch ground nutmeg, let stand for 20 minutes, then pour off some of the juice and mix in 35 g cornstarch. Pouring off some juice keeps the filling from being too runny as it bakes. The filling is ready when the peaches are evenly glossy with no white lumps of cornstarch.
Step 5
Roll the larger piece of dough into a circle about 3 mm thick and about 5 cm wider than a 23 cm pie dish, then lay it in the dish and press it snugly into the base and sides. Let the extra dough hang over the edge so you can fold it together with the top crust later. The crust is right when it lies flat with no air pockets underneath and an even overhang all around.
Step 6
Pour the peach filling into the crust, dot 15 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, over the top, roll out the rest of the dough and lay it over as a lid or cut it into strips for a lattice. Tuck the edge of the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp firmly, then cut a few slits in the top to let steam escape. The pie is right when the edge is evenly sealed and the filling mounds slightly in the middle.
Step 7
Put the whole pie in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking. Firm butter in the crust keeps the crimped edge sharp and lets the crust puff into layers. The pie is ready when the top crust feels cold and firm.
Step 8
While the pie chills, preheat the oven to 220°C with a rack in the lower position and a parchment-lined tray underneath. The tray catches any peach juices that bubble over and would otherwise smoke up the oven. The oven is ready when it has held its temperature steady for at least ten minutes.
Step 9
Beat 50 g eggs with 15 g whole milk, brush a thin layer over the top crust and edge, then sprinkle evenly with 12 g granulated sugar. The egg wash browns the crust to a glossy finish, and the sugar adds a sparkling crunch. The top is right when it is covered in a thin layer with no puddles collecting in the slits.
Step 10
Bake the pie at 220°C for the first 18 to 20 minutes so the crust sets quickly. The high heat makes the butter steam and puff the crust before the peach juices can soak in. This stage is done when the edge of the crust begins to turn pale golden.
Step 11
Lower the heat to 190°C and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes, covering the edge with foil if it darkens too quickly. The long bake fully cooks the cornstarch and thickens the filling. The pie is done when the top is a deep golden brown and thick juices bubble slowly through the slits.
Step 12
Set the pie on a rack and let it cool for at least three hours before slicing. The peach filling needs this time to set; cutting too soon lets the juices run all over the plate. The pie is ready when the bottom of the dish is completely cool and a slice holds its shape.
Equipment
- Oven
- Pie dish
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Small saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Plastic wrap
- Baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
- Refrigerator
Tips
- Choose peaches that are ripe but still firm; very soft peaches turn mushy and release a lot of juice as they bake.
- If you use canned peaches, drain them very well and cut the sugar in the filling by about half.
- Setting the pie dish on a baking sheet preheated in the oven helps the bottom crust bake crisp.
Storage
The pie keeps at room temperature for one day if loosely covered with a clean towel. After that, refrigerate it, eat it within three days and reheat at 170°C for about ten minutes to crisp the crust again.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The filling is runny when you slice the pie.
- The pie was not baked long enough for the cornstarch to cook, or it was cut while still hot. Bake until thick juices bubble in the center, and wait until the pie is completely cool.
- The edge of the crust burns while the bottom stays pale.
- The pie was too high in the oven. Move the rack to a lower position and cover the edge with a ring of foil after about thirty minutes of baking.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
