Monday, June 09, 2014

Peaches and Cream Pie

SERVES 8

Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Keep an eye on the peaches at the end of their baking time to ensure that they don't scorch.

INGREDIENTS

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell (see note)
2 pounds ripe but firm peaches, peeled, halved, and pitted
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cover pie shell with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40 minutes, then freeze for 20 minutes. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line chilled pie shell with two 12-inch squares of aluminum foil, letting foil lie over edges of dough. Top with pie weights.

2. Place peach halves cut side up on aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake peaches on upper-middle rack until softened and juice is released, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through baking.

3. After 30 minutes, place crust on lower-middle rack, while peaches continue to roast, and bake until edges are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove crust from oven and carefully remove foil and weights. Continue to bake until bottom of crust is light brown and peaches are caramelized, about 5 minutes longer. Cool crust and peaches for 15 minutes.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cut peaches lengthwise into quarters. Arrange peaches in single layer over crust. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in bowl. Whisk in cream, egg yolks, and vanilla until smooth. Pour cream mixture over peaches. Bake until filling is light golden brown and firm in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack for at least 3 hours. Serve.

TWICE-BAKED PEACHES
Eat a peach out of hand and its juiciness is no small part of what makes it so good. But cook the fruit and that same high water content can ruin peach pie, especially when coupled with cream. To evaporate the peach juices and concentrate the peach flavor, we roasted the fruit before filling the pie. A sprinkle of sugar helps the peach halves caramelize.PLUS Save time: While you're roasting the fruit on one shelf of the oven, you can prebake the crust on another.

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